


Generations

by Scribe32oz



Series: Tomorrow Already Series [7]
Category: Smallville
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 21:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 88,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14121267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribe32oz/pseuds/Scribe32oz
Summary: The mysterious arrival of Kara Zor-El gives Clark Kent a connection to Krypton he never imagined while in Gotham, Bruce Wayne finds a young boy facing the same tragedy of his own life.





	1. Snippets

 

She had a name once.

Sometimes in the darkness, she almost remembered it. Like the fine mist that lingered on a morning lake, it disappeared as she soon as she took real notice, remaining forever elusive. It was odd because she had never seen any place that could be considered a lake, never seen anything so raw as the woods framing it or the blue sky bounced a murky reflection of its surface. It was more an idea in her mind, as intangible as the rest of the images that seemed to teased her in dreams, fragments that vanished in wakefulness .

She didn't so much remember the Other Life as much as she  _felt_  it.

A life where she had people who loved her, to whom she felt she belonged, who did everything they could to protect her but ultimately could not. She felt their fear for her, felt saddened by their anguish for being unable to save her. Although from what menace she could not even begin to imagine. When she concentrated on trying to find the source of those feelings, perhaps even to the memory that might have engendered it, she was assailed with churning sensation of chaos. It was as if she were plunged in the eye of a maelstrom so fierce and savage, that it made her sick to her stomach.

The vortex of destruction circled her like carrion birds and yet it was she who laid the feast.

Yet despite that insanity, there was still the radiance of warm, caring voices desperately tried to soothe her, invisible fingers that flailed through the storm of emotions, trying to steer her to safer shores. They never succeeded but there were fleeting moments when she almost felt their touch, caressing her with kindness, defying her to remember that that she wasn't alone. Secretly in the darkness where all things hidden in the heart dared to speak, she longed to remember them. Despite the inevitability of the Now, she suspected they had truly cared for her.

Perhaps even mourned her. Whoever they were.

However, in the harsh light of day, such doubts vanished. The yearnings of midnight withered in the bright of the sun. It penetrated the dreams and fragments of possibly shredded memories one tangible sense of clarity, that in that Other Life she had been  _weak_.

She knew this with a faith that was unshakeable. If there was such a thing as that Other Life, she knew she had lived it weak and afraid. She had been fear's creature and not the nemesis whose spine she had broken long ago. In the Now, it had been shed it like a second skin. Once she realised its power over her and with it, the last vestiges of a self that only seemed to surface like a bitter spectre in the dark was banished forever.

In the Now, she was strong. She had purpose and needed no one to protect her. She had no need of soothing comforting voices that enabled that pathetic creature who skulked through existence like a shadow terrified of the sun. With her sisters, she soared across the sky, forcing everyone to fall to their knees and look up at her adoration and terror all at the same time. In their eyes, she saw no pity, no sadness at what they believed she'd lost, only awe.

She was delight and despair, cold and heat, beauty and the beast, amalgamated with far more efficiency than any fairy tale she had ever dreamed in her forgotten childhood. She was the ugly duckling that had become the swan, the frightened little girl who had become fury itself. And when she sang her song, the world shuddered and crumbled.

She had a name once but it meant nothing to her. She didn't need it  _anymore_.

Granny said so.

* * *

 

**CONSTRUCTION ON REEVE DAM BEGINS TODAY**

**By Byron Moore**

Work began early this morning at Reeve Dam as Lex Luthor makes good his promise to rebuild the facility five years after its collapse during Dark Thursday in 2008. Since then, the dam has remained in ruins owing to the lack of financial resources required to rebuild it. In the wake of Dark Thursday, the immediate demand to fund relief programs for emergency assistance to those made homeless and the revitalization of local economy effected by the disaster exceeded the need to restore Reeve Dam to its former glory.

Senator Jack Jennings who was recently regained his former seat in the Kansas state legislature was cited on record as saying; "People needed a roof over their heads and businesses needed to recover from the damage caused by the looting and rioting that occurred on that terrible day. We just didn't have the money to rebuild a facility that has already seen its best days."

Fortunately, Lex Luthor has a more positive response.

Using the financial might of his company, Luthor approached town officials with an offer to rebuild, restoring the irrigation programs and water distribution across the area that had been disrupted by the dam's current condition. Luthor intends to rebuild the dam and also incorporate a hydro-electric system that will provide Smallville and surrounding towns with an alternate yet clean source of energy.

Recently returned to Smallville, Lex Luthor has made a meteoric rise back to the top of the corporate world. Luthor was pardoned by the Governor for the murder of Smallville resident Chloe Sullivan after revelations that an imposter named Milton Fine, who is still at large, masqueraded as Lionel Luthor and committed the crime. Luthor served five years of a life sentence before his conviction was vacated, thanks to the efforts of Lois Lane and Clark Kent of the Daily planet.

Since his return to Smallville, Luthor has rebranded LuthorCorp as LexCorp and taken steps to invigorate the local economy by reopening the former LuthorCorp fertiliser plant and putting 1500 people on the payroll. Beyond Smallville, LexCorp has continued to expand its portfolio into new industries, investing in communications technologies, defense systems and pharmaceutical research.

Despite his corporate ambitions, Luthor prefers to remain at Smallville in the ancestral home Lionel Luthor rebuilt from the original in Scotland, with his wife Lana and daughter Laura.

"I've lived in many places throughout my life but Smallville is my home," Luthor quoted to the Ledger, "It is my pleasure to be able to give something back to the community that welcomed me so warmly all those years ago. Reeve Dam is a local landmark to signify the enduring legacy of Smallville's founding father taken too soon from the world. I am thrilled that I am able to assist to ensure its future."

The first phase of the construction work will continue for 18 months.

EX-SENATOR RETURNS TO SMALLVILLE

After endorsing Jack Jennings as a her replacement in the Kansas State Legislature, Senator Martha Kent returns to the family farm she and husband Jonathan Kent occupied prior to his death. The Kent farm has been in the family for almost 100 years and is a fixture in Smallville's history. During her tenure as State Senator, the farm was managed by her son Clark and after the younger Kent moved to Metropolis, neighbour Ben Hubbard.

Senator Kent came to office after assuming the seat her husband Jonathan Kent had won. He died of a heart attack before he could take his office in the 2008 senate election. In his stead, Senator Kent has been a champion of education and human rights during her time in office. One of the most vocal supporters of the 'Meteor Generation', the Senator pushed for recognition of the meteor infected to allow them access to medical treatment and counselling to deal with their abilities.

"They are our children and we cannot abandon them even if what their abilities frighten us. They are just as afraid as we and we must support them to show them they are not alone," the Senator was heard to have quoted at the 2010 assembly.

The Senator leaves her office as one of the most respected politicians in Kansas. It is a testament to her popularity and dignitas that her endorsement alone allowed former Senator Jack Jennings to be re-elected to office. Jennings had resigned five years ago, amid scandal involving his extra marital affairs. Since then Jennings has proven that he intends to continue furthering the causes in which Senator Kent so passionately served.

When asked what her plans were now that she has returned to civilian life, the Senator remained coy except to say; "I'm going home, that's more than enough for now."


	2. Thanksgiving

"I don't know why we couldn't fly," Lois Lane pouted, staring out the window of the car at what had to be the hundredth cornfield she had seen since they'd left Metropolis. As much as she loved visiting Smallville, Lois could never abide the drive down there. There were way too many cornfields, too many truck stops with undrinkable coffee and worse yet, locals who thought words like hootenanny, hoedown and shindigs were just the coolest thing ever.

Clark Kent exhaled loudly, expressing his resignation to his fate in that one sigh. Five years apart and some things about Lois never changed. Of course, he never want it any other way. By now, her complaints about their mode of transportation washed over him like water off a duck's back. Glancing at her, he saw her leaning her head against the glass, eyes gazing out the window in complete and utter boredom and couldn't help but smile, even if she was doing her level best to see if one of his powers was super  _patience_.

"Because Superman flying with Lois Lane in his arms AND her luggage might raise a few brows when we landed in Smallville," he said as a matter of factly.

Lois made a face at him and harrumphed. "Fine, get all reasonable on me," she bit back in that tone which indicated that this wasn't the end of this argument. Lois Lane never surrendered, no matter stupid the reason.

"Come on Lois," Clark threw her a smile before returning his attention to the road, "how long has it been since we took a road trip?"

Lois narrowed her eyes at him, "uh never?" She said flippantly. "I got used to windblown hair and keeping my mouth closed to keep from swallowing bugs because you'd super speed me everywhere, remember? Even before the flying. I mean at least when we flew, it was fast and we got there in a hurry. Kind of like bad sex you know?" She couldn't help but smirk.

Clark shot her a look of suspicion, "what does  _that_  mean?" Was she talking about them? She wasn't, right? The sex between them was great. Well he always thought so. How was it after all this time, she managed to flummox him.

" _Nothing_ , " she teased wickedly, "but see where my mind goes when I'm bored?

"Well just back it out of there," Clark said displaying classic male insecurity about that particular subject. "I mean you're kidding right?"

"I could be," Lois grinned, enjoying torturing Clark like they were the two bickering teenagers they'd been when they first met. In some sense, they'd never really grown out of that and it was what made their relationship so interesting. "But you'll never know..."

"Oh you're so explaining yourself when we get back to the farm, Lane," Clark replied, giving her a look of challenge.

Lois laughed out loud, delighting in making the great superhero hot under the collar. Sometimes, it was all she could do from ruffling his hair when she interviewed him after he'd rescued a busload of nuns, wanting to show the world that dorky farm boy she'd fallen in love with instead of just Superman. He was still there of course, these days disguised as mild mannered reporter who still kept a hula girl doll on his desk and thought any dressing other than mayonnaise was way too exotic.

The man of steel handled Kryptonite better than he handled Szechuan.

"No way," she retorted "There'll be no riding the Harley while we're at the farm, Smallville. Not with Mrs. Kent there."

Clark made a face at Lois, unsure whether it was because he was disappointed at the enforced abstinence or because talking about sex and Martha Kent in the same sentence was just...  _freaky_.

"Okay you win," he conceded defeat.

"I always do," Lois beamed with triumph before leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek, "I'll make it up to you  _after_  Thanksgiving."

"You better," he winked and then added, "you know despite being reminded how much of a pain in the ass you can be during a road trip, it will actually be nice to have a Thanksgiving at the farm again."

"Amen to that," she nodded, taking no offence at his comment because truth be told, she was a pain in the ass. No contest there. Furthermore, the Thanksgivings she'd shared with the Kents at the farm were the fondest memories she had of that holiday and she was looking forward to it herself. "Its a pity the others couldn't make it."

For a moment, neither spoke because the others actually meant Chloe. Five years after the fact and neither he nor Lois ever got used to the fact that the bubbly blond woman who had been Clark's best friend and confidante was gone. Her place in his life was so large that the void it had left behind when they found her dead had driven Clark to Jor-El for five years, severing him from all the people he loved, including Lois. This Thanksgiving and every other after that, Clark suspected would always feel as incomplete without Chloe as it did without his father, Jonathan.

Clark reached over and squeezed Lois' hand gently, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. "She's with us in spirit," he said quietly.

 _But its not the same_ , Lois wanted to say but reined in her emotions.

Memories were treacherous little things. One minute you remembered something special and the next thing you know, the smells, the laughter and the people led you unknowingly down a path to sorrow. She squeezed Clark's hand back, knowing he missed her as much as she did, possibly even more. Until she learned about the great SECRET of Clark Kent as she liked to call it, Chloe had been the only person with whom he could be himself.

"So its just the three of us," Lois rebounded in her usual way, brushing aside cobwebs with a bulldozer and changing the subject. "Did you talk to Ollie? You know how he's been wanting to catch up."

"Yeah," Clark agreed, thinking on Oliver Queen who had spent a few Thanksgivings with them. Since his return, he'd spoken to Oliver a few times. The Green Arrow and his band of heroes were still fighting the good fight although thanks to Superman, they were able to come out into the light now and seen for what they were.

"He and Dinah are spending it with her folks," Clark replied.

"Its about time," Lois remarked, well aware of Ollie's relationship with the super-heroine called Black Canary. "Could have asked Bruce. God knows if there's anyone who could use a dose of Mrs. Kent its Bruce. I just hate the idea of him sitting alone at the Mansion with just Alfred, brooding like he does. We should ask them both over once."

"I don't know Lois," Clark said sceptically, trying to picture his mother dealing with a butler in her kitchen. Everything Clark knew about Alfred Pennyworth told him the man would not be sitting out the cooking of a Thanksgiving dinner. "You know Bruce, he isn't the Thanksgiving type. Besides, he has plans already."

"With Diana?" Lois asked hopefully. She was so happy to know that Bruce had someone in his life. In the years during Clark's absence, Lois had shared a deep friendship with Bruce Wayne. They had almost been family and after her cousin's death, Lois kept close touch with Chloe's grieving fiancé. Even after Clark came back, Bruce had continued to mourn for Chloe, keeping the armour of the Batman between him and the rest of the world.

Fortunately, the arrival of a certain Amazon Princess had changed all that.

"No," Clark shook his head. "Diana's gone home to visit her mom but Bruce said he had some charity thing to go to anyway."

"Oh that's right," Lois nodded recalling the event, "at a circus."

* * *

 

Lana Lang would never admit it but returning to the Luthor Mansion felt like coming home.

It was odd that she could think of such a place in that fashion, especially after living at Aunt Nell's for most of her youth and then switching briefly to the Talon and Met U's dormitory before finally settling at the Mansion. Until then, she hadn't really felt a sense of belonging but this place, with its gothic presence, its walls reeking of bleak futility and animosity, seemed to fit her somehow. Perhaps from the moment that Lex offered her a room after her break up with Clark, Lana knew there was permanence in this walls.

When she and Lex had married, he'd given her carte blanche to redecorate and Lana had taken to the task with some enthusiasm. She'd wanted to shake off the gloom and foreboding of the place and bring some light into its halls, not just for herself but because she felt Lex needed it too. He lived so much in the shadows that Lana wanted him to remember there was light in the world and it could be in his life if he wanted it. She'd banished the heavy draperies, the dark burgundy colours and hunting lodge decor that only single men seemed to find fashionable or tasteful for that matter. Of course there were things she left alone, his study for one but everything else was redesigned.

By the time Laura was born, the mansion had stopped being a residence and had started to become a home. She and Lex had decorated the baby's nursery themselves, Lana had insisted on it. The wealthy had a tendency to simply hand such duties to a decorator, Lana had felt it would have diminish the meaning of it if they didn't do it themselves. They'd trolled baby stores together, picking out dolls and strollers, enjoying the experience the way two people who were rich and young could.

Unfortunately it hadn't lasted.

It had all come crashing down when Lex was charged with Chloe's murder and though Lana had stood by him initially, it was only when she saw the damning footage of the deed, captured by the mansion's own security tapes, did she finally believe she married a killer. Taking her daughter away from the media frenzy that followed, Lana returned to the safe ground of the Talon and raised her daughter there. All the while telling herself that Lex was always what people had said he was; evil and that she was the only one who hadn't seen it.

The guilt and loneliness near destroyed her. For the first year after Lex's conviction, she was something of a pariah to the people of Smallville, the wife of the murderer.

The friends to whom she could turn to were absent.

Clark had disappeared, leaving behind Lois as broken as herself. After Clark left, Lois moved to Metropolis and Mrs. Kent or rather Senator Kent was spending most of her time in Washington. Henry Small had tried to be supportive but he too had his own family and the pressure to keep them out of the spotlight kept him at arms length. There was a brief moment where Lana considered taking Nell's offer of moving to upstate but quickly dismissed it. Lana had always felt she railroaded Nell's life because she had no one else after her parents' death and she didn't want Nell to feel the same obligation now.

Besides, Lex's conviction was news across America, where could she truly hide?

In the end, Lana remained in Smallville and raised her daughter. After a year, once the trial was done and the memory of it slipped into the background of people's consciousness, life returned to some semblance of normal. Lionel Luthor had remained distant and did not oppose it when Lana asked for the Talon in the divorce settlement. It had always been hers first anyway and the only thing she wanted from the Luthor estate.

Still Lex's circumstances continued to plague her, particularly when he insisted that he was innocent. He'd wrote letters, filled with frantic desperation to be believed and as the years continued on, they'd lost that frenzy but still remained seemingly earnest. Finally, he gave up wanting her belief, and just wished for a relationship with his daughter. After awhile it became to hard to read them because she did love him still, with an love that was very different from the all consuming, almost draining thing she had felt for Clark in her youth.

She never believed Lex even though he was telling her the truth.

When Lana learned what Clark had known; that Lex was innocent all this while, it felt like she was reliving the nightmare. Lana told Clark she'd never forgive him but the truth was; she would never forgive  _herself_. Guilt ate at her, even more so when she realised that she had robbed her daughter of her father and worse yet; Fine had done something to Lex in jail.

When he emerged from prison, his memory had been altered. Everything about their relationship was intact but the truth about Clark Kent and the planet Krypton did not exist for him. He knew about Dark Thursday, about aliens and spaceship but he had no idea that any of it connected to Clark. Fine had removed just enough memory for Lex to be useful in future but not enough to be of any assistance to Clark.

Clark simply became the young man who had saved his life and was once his wife's old boy friend, nothing more.

For everyone's sake, Lana chose not to alter that view point. She had known Clark's secret for years and now that he was Superman, now he was doing so much good that despite her anger; she was proud of him.

Thus Lana was there the day Lex was released. She was there with Laura to introduce the child tentatively to her father and five years after the fact, they became a family.

So now Lana found herself in the Luthor Mansion once more, her marriage vows soon to be renewed with the family she'd always wanted.

And for the first time in five years, she had something to give thanks for at Thanksgiving.

* * *

 

Bruce hated charity events.

Even though he was very at home in the persona of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, wastrel, philanthropist or whatever label Cat Grant wished to bestow upon him this week, he always found such events tedious. While Bruce had no reservations about donating the money, he always found the dinners, the galas and the ensuing benefits that resulted to be of no value to anyone except the social elite who use event as an opportunity to grandstand each other to grab the best photo op. Never mind that they did it while wearing gowns, tuxedos, adorned with jewels and driving cars that could feed a Third World country for a month.

It was such hypocrisy. Unfortunately it was hypocrisy he had to indulge for Bruce Wayne to carry out his work as Batman.

On this occasion, he found himself under the Big Top of Haly's Circus. Thanks to Wayne Foundation sponsorship, the circus was hosting a black tie event followed by a special Thanksgiving performance that would see the proceeds donated to the Gotham Orphanage.

As Bruce stood amongst Gotham's elite mingling with the circus performers, he almost wished he had taken Clark up on his offer to join him and Lois at the farm. Even if he was not an ardent observer of the holiday; Bruce felt an especial impatience in having to wear the mask of Bruce Wayne when he would rather be in the Cave, working.

As it was, he was expecting a call from Alfred to let him know if a ship called the Dragon's Eye was pulling to Gotham Harbour tonight. There had been engine trouble reported from the Chinese freighter prior to entering American waters that might delay its arrival date. Bruce had every intention of being there when the ship put to dock. A contact had told him that snakeheads were smuggling in illegals; some of whom were unaware that their new life in America would involve the sex trade.

He was in the middle of telling Bitsie Huffington that Diana had returned to Themiscyra to visit her mother, thus explaining her absence at Bruce's arm this evening when his cell phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. Excusing himself, he stepped behind the flap leading to backstage and noted that it was no less busy on this side of the curtain. Circus hands and performers were getting ready for their for their debut. So busy were they in their preparations, they paid him little notice of him when he took refuge next to a stack of hay bales and answered his call.

As expected it was Alfred but Bruce was disappointed to hear that the Dragon's Eye would not be putting into shore until  _tomorrow_  night. Alfred had said with more than a passing hint of smugness that Batman was off the hook for the evening.

"You're not supposed to be here you know?" An undoubtedly juvenile voice pointed out from behind the hay bale he was resting against.

"Sorry," Bruce said regarding the young boy who had hidden away himself behind the hay bale, quite impressively, Bruce thought, with comic books. "Just needed to make a call."

The boy stood up and without any warning, jumped into the air in a half somersault to land gracefully next to him, hunched over like a modern day version of Puck.

He could not have been more than eight, Bruce thought and recognised immediately, the youngest member of the Flying Grayson's troop. The child was dressed in coloured tights unlike his older counterparts,

"That's not much of an excuse," he retorted, "There's like a sign there saying employees only. You're not supposed to see the acts before the curtain comes up, its kind of bad manners, or at least that's what my dad says."

Then in a lower voice, with a smirk stealing across his face, he added, "but I won't tell."

"Well I appreciate that," Bruce chuckled, admiring the boy's landing. He really had excellent form, not to mention a natural ability that was honed with discipline. Bruce had seen Olympic level athletes dream of such talent. "You're Dick right?"

There was a pole next to the hay bale and the boy grabbed it, shimming up and curling his legs around the thing as he hung off it like a monkey. "Yep, I'm Dick Grayson," he grinned before his brow furrowed. The man look familiar but Dick wasn't sure how. "How'd you guess?"

"I'm a bit of detective," Bruce replied with a straight face. "I've heard that the star of the Flying Graysons is their young son and the way you moved just now, I supposed that must be you." Bruce added, unable to deny being a little charmed by the boy's playful manner.

"I'm famous?" Dick's smile almost split his face and just to show off, he slid down the pole and landed on the hay bale before treating his new friend to a double somersault in mid air before landing in front of Bruce again. Upon landing though, his face scrunched up as he tugged at the crotch of his tights and blushed a little at being noticed doing it. "Sorry, it rides up sometimes."

"I understand," Bruce replied, more sensitive to the problem then the boy could possibly imagine.

"Are you famous too?" The boy asked, head cocked to the side as he stared at Bruce.

Bruce fought hard to suppressed the smirk that wanted to come as he regarded young Dick Grayson. The boy couldn't sit still and reminded Bruce of an old nursery rhyme 'Robin Red Breast'. He moved constantly, like a bird on a branch. "I'm Bruce Wayne," he extended a hand. "Its nice to meet you Dick...or is it Richard?"

The kid's eyes became saucers and his mouth fell agape. When he spoke, it escaped him in one long, excited sentence. "You're Bruce Wayne, the guy whose helping us with our show and owns that big shiny building with the pointy tower in own? THAT Bruce Wayne, the one who's Wonder Woman's boyfriend!"

 _Okay that,_  Bruce could have done without but he couldn't help laughing at the boy's reaction. Those who knew him, would have realised that this wasn't one of his patented laugh put on for show. This one was real and something he didn't often share.

"I'm afraid that's me."

"That's so awesome!" The boy exclaimed with awe and glanced about to see if he could show off Bruce Wayne to anyone he knew, convinced no one would believe him when he told them later.

"Well I'm equally honoured to meet the star of the flying Graysons. I'm looking forward to seeing your performance tonight," Bruce remarked. "I'm a fan."

"That is so cool...I mean I never had a fan...," Dick exclaimed and it was the truth. His folks were pretty careful about keeping him away from the audience when he wasn't being supervised. And his fan was famous who got to hang out with Wonder Woman who also got to hang out with SUPERMAN. The thought almost discombobulated Dick's rational thought.

"Well you have a show to do," Bruce said giving the boy a warm smile, "and I have to get out there." He glanced at the curtain and found it funny that he rather preferred hanging around this child. "Good luck Dick."

"I'll do a quad for you Mr. Wayne!" the boy exclaimed as he saw Bruce retreat.

Bruce was still smiling when he turned away, hearing Dick behind him holler "MOM! GUESSS WHO I JUST MET!"

* * *

 

It was surprising how quickly things got back to normal.

Lex Luthor had thought that once he emerged from prison, it would take time for him to get back into the swing of things. After all, he'd been five years away from the corporate world and in the mean time, his company had been under the charge of an alien imposter who had murdered his father and blamed him for the crime of killing Chloe Sullivan. Under those circumstances, Lex figured he was owed some time to readjust. However, when he breathed the air of a free man and sighted for the first time, his wife and daughter, that hesitation disappeared.

Once again, he wanted it  _all_.

He wanted it all for himself and he wanted it all for his family. Driven by demons that predated his prison time, Lex took charge quickly and though he allocated the appropriate amount of time to his business, he was careful not to overlook his family. During his time in prison, he'd wanted nothing more than to be back with Lana and his daughter and now that it was a reality, Lex was not going to squander the opportunity. Lana was willing to rebuild their lives together and growing up with Lionel Luthor as a father told Lex what mistakes to avoid.

Thus when he was called to Reeve Dam on Thanksgiving, Lex had not been impressed.

This was his first Thanksgiving with his wife and daughter and not even work ought to intrude upon that. However, there was something about this place that nagged at him, something he knew had to do with Milton Fine but what that was he could not say. It was like the proverbial splinter in the mind, defying him to answer a riddle he had forgotten.

Milton Fine or rather the persona he had adopted whilst on Earth was an alien. Of this Lex had no doubt. He knew that Fine had emerged from a spaceship that had been found by LuthorCorp and had something to do with Dark Thursday. Fine had seized his company by killing his father and framing him for murder. Lex was convinced it was because of Reeve Dam.

Dr. Groll was waiting for him in the temporary parking lot that had been set up for vehicles during the restoration of the site. Dr. Edward Groll had been placed charge of clearing the scientific equipment that had been apart of the destroyed Section 33.1 facility in the subterranean level that had been flooded and destroyed due to seismic activity. While earthworks began on the other end of the structure, LexCorp technicians were hastily removing much of the equipment that had been buried under the rubble once the water had been pumped out of the submerged facility.

"What the hell is so important that I've got to come here personally, Doctor?" Lex demanded when he stepped out of his car.

"I'm sorry Mr. Luthor," Dr. Groll who had been on LuthorCorp's payroll during Lex's incarceration and had been able to give him an account of what Fine had been done as Lionel Luthor, apologised quickly but felt justified by the urgency of the situation. "We found something and you did say you wanted to be informed immediately."

"Just tell me what it is," Lex said impatiently because he had said that very thing. In fact, he'd been explicit about it.

The doctor led him to entrance in the far side of the complex that led into the subterranean levels below the dam. LexCorp employees were moving in and out of the doorway, carrying pieces of damaged equipment, attempting to salvage what had been left behind in order to retrieve any useful data if possible. Lex knew that Fine had concentrated his efforts on this facility but couldn't imagine why since the place had more less been destroyed after the quake.

The damage was apparent as soon as they passed through the doorway. Large fissures had split the concrete, running down the length of the corridor they were walking. There was still the sheen of water left behind on all surface from the flood and some of the adjoining doorways to other rooms and corridors had collapsed entirely. Emergency lighting was running along the broken ceiling, with algae and moss creeping through the cracks. The smell was dank and musty, making Lex wish for one of those respirator masks he saw some of the technicians wearing.

This did not seem to bother Dr. Groll however. It appeared his time supervising this excavation had made him immune to the place.

"As you know, Mr. Fine when he was posing as your father, was very interested in this facility. I initially thought he was planning on carrying out the work previously conducted here."

By that Lex knew he meant the experimentation in Section 33.1 but he could not imagine what would interest Fine about the genetic manipulation of meteor infected subjects. Fine certainly hadn't attempted to further the work by any record that he or Dr. Groll had been able to detect.

"However, we've gone through the whole facility and it appears his only orders were about keep one section of the tunnel system restricted. I've had our people excavating all the debris leading up to that area, to determine what was being concealed," Groll continued to explain.

The two men moved deeper and deeper into the facility leaving behind the workers excavating its other sections. The emergency lighting allowed Lex to see the extent of the damage. It was definitely more pronounced. Whole sections of wall had crumbled and it appeared only debris piles kept the wing from being impassable.

"Are we safe down here?" Lex asked, not wanting to buried alive after being caged for five years, the cruelty of it would be too much for him to bear.

"I wouldn't recommend starting a jackhammer down here but its stable enough for us to take a look at. When we need to do a more extensive extraction, I recommend we do it from the other side of the external walls." Groll answered.

"Extensive extraction?" Lex threw a sidelong glance at the man.

"You'll understand when you see it, Mr. Luthor." The doctor retorted as if that would explain everything.

"Doctor I don't want to have to be away from my family any longer than I have to be," he retorted, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. In truth, the surroundings of concrete, the stench of foul water and dim lighting was too reminiscent of the cell he had occupied for five years. So much so that it was creating beads of sweat running down his forehead.

"We're almost there," Dr. Groll said gesturing to the guard standing in front of a plastic sheet that separated one section of the hallway from the rest of it, like one of those found on a medical quarantine tents. "This is one Carter Bowfry's men," Groll commented.

Bowfry had been one of Lex's chief advisors before and he was glad that Fine hadn't dismissed the man so that Bowfry could take his talents elsewhere. Lex made a mental note to recall the man from which ever LuthorCorp (now LexCorp) task he was currently assigned. Expertise like that couldn't be squandered on some menial duty.

The guard stood aside as soon as Lex and approached, making no effort to stop them. Dressed in a dark blue, security uniform, he merely nodded his greeting at the two men as they stepped through the plastic. Once past, they didn't have far to go far to find what they were looking for

What was on the other side of the curtain was not some undiscovered section of the dam that no one had noticed til now. Far from it actually. It was just the end of the tunnel. However, what made it interesting was what had broken through the wall from outside the structure. It was sizeable enough so that it jutted out almost two meters from the wall so tightly against the broken concrete that water trickled through from crack but not enough to flood it.

Lex walked right up to the object that had punched through the concrete. His jaw slightly agape as he recognised what he was seeing. Five years had done nothing to diminish his memory of the black ship he and Lana had seen after the second meteor shower in Smallville. The angular lines, the strange metal, it all came back to him like the dank stench of the prison walls when he had come into this place. He saw odd symbols running along the edge of what he knew to be its wing . He moved to touch it when Groll stopped him by pulling his hand away.

"Don't touch it Mr. Luthor," Groll warned, "we've detected unusual radiation readings emanating from it. We can't say what it might do if we made contact. I believe this what Fine was after, this was the came down in the second meteor shower. Fine must have hidden it in the lake and during seismic instability that damaged the dam, the ship must shifted enough to slam into this wall."

"I have no doubt that's an explanation the ship came to be here," Lex stated, staring at Groll with utter confidence. "However, I ate, drank, slept with picture of the Black Ship for months. These symbols," he gestured to the cryptographs, "I may not understand what they are but I certainly know these aren't the same ones as before. Wherever this came from, it did not come down in the second meteor shower. This  _isn't_  Fine's ship."

And if it wasn't Fine's whose was it?


	3. Defining Moments

After everything she had done in her life in recent years, it was odd how the things she looked forward to most always place in  _this_  house. As Martha Kent stood in her kitchen, preparing the first Thanksgiving meal she had cooked in five years, she couldn't ignore the sorrow inside her at spending another holiday without Jonathan. Years had gone since his death and Martha had yet to figure out how to live without him.

His passing heralded the beginning of a lonely and tragic time for Martha and her loved ones. After Jonathan's death, they were inflicted with Chloe's murder and Clark's subsequent departure as guilt drove him to train with Jor-El at the fortress. She'd even lost her friendship with Lionel Luthor although why that had happened did not become clear until Clark revealed what the Construct had done. Only when she had learned that the Brain Interactive construct or rather Brainiac had secrecy murdered Lionel, did she understand the reason for his inexplicable indifference.

After that, Thanksgiving was celebrated in Washington, sometimes with Lois, sometimes not and when Lois was absent, the occasion was as empty as this house had been for so long.

This year was going to be different.

While Jonathan was still gone and not stomping about the house, asking whether or not she needed help with Thanksgiving dinner when in truth, he was itching to sit down to watch football with Clark, Martha was still content. Clark and Lois were on their way home, Shelby was nestled comfortably in front of the fireplace and for the first time in too long, Martha felt her world returning to the warm simplicity of her earlier life on the farm.

She prepared all of Clark's favourites because her son was terribly traditional when it came to the Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes, the whole nine yards and you know, Martha loved being able to do it for him. Like the rest of the world, she watched Superman flying across the globe, saving people in a way she was certain Jonathan had always imagined he would someday and couldn't help feeling proud knowing she had some part in all that. Yet cooking for him like this reminded them both that at the end of the day, Superman was still the little boy who had wandered into her embrace and gave her and Jonathan's life so much meaning.

Martha was in the middle of mixing up the stuffing when she saw Shelby's head suddenly lift up from the rug he had been lying against. His floppy ears prickled with interest and familiarity before he leapt to his feet and rushed to the front door, escaping through the doggy door they had installed years ago. Guessing the reason, Martha followed him far enough to catch sight of dark sedan coming down the driveway through the window.

With a happy smile, Martha quickly retreated to the kitchen to wash her hands, wiping them with a dish towel before she went outside to greet Clark and Lois.

"Hey Boy!" Clark greeted exuberantly as he dropped down to his haunches to pat Shelby and scratch the dog behind the ears the way Clark knew he liked. Despite the happy wagging of its tail and its boisterous response to Clark's return, Shelby was starting to show his age, strands of grey were beginning to appear in his auburn fur.

"How you doing?" Clark laughed as the dog covered his face in wet slobbers.

"Ewwww," Lois made a face at the display. "You better wash those lips before you kiss me Smallville," she warned even though she loved Shelby as much as Clark did, despite her allergies.

"Clark," Martha greeted as she stepped out of the house, pausing a few steps away from the couple.

When he saw his mother, Clark straightened up and his expression softened. The only other person in the world Clark could not imagine his world without; he crossed over two her in two easy strides and embraced her. It was an embrace filled with the best of his childhood as well. Holding her, he drew comfort in the familiar scent of her perfume intermingling with warm kitchen aromas that was very distinctively Martha.

"Hi Mom," he greeted, feeling not like the adult, the rookie reporter or even Superman. In her sight, he would always be her little boy and they both knew it.

"It's so good to have you home," she said holding him a little longer than she should, the emotion in her voice palpable. This moment needed Jonathan and it stung that it could never be.

Lois didn't intrude in mother and son having their moment together. She glanced up from where she was patting Shelby and a small smile stole across her face, part affection and part envy. She was happy that they had come back to the farm if only for this reunion.

When they finally parted, Lois gave Shelby a final scratch of his ear before she stood up and stepped forward to make her own greetings.

"Lois," Martha greeted with a warm smile and bundled the young woman with the same embrace though with less emotional heartache. "I'm so glad you're here too."

"You know me, Mrs. Kent," Lois laughed, never able to deal with compliment without diffusing it with self-depreciating humour. "Can't get rid of me that easily?"

Martha joined her laughter, recognising the tactic by now. She'd been pleased when Clark had found Lois as more than just an annoyance in his life. She had always suspected that the former army brat had a vein of steel running through her that matched even a Kryptonian's invulnerability. Without ever being able to explain it, Martha had always known that Lois would handle the SECRET better than anyone believed her capable.

Her sassy no holds barred, abrasive personality was the perfect foil for Clark's brooding, somewhat introverted personality. In Lois' company, Martha saw Clark capable of being himself without the revelation of his alien origins. She'd seen Lois fight for him without any consideration as to what she was facing, knowing only that he needed her and Martha could not have hoped for better than that for her son.

"Come on you two," she gestured both of them to come into the house, deciding that there would be plenty of time to catch up over the holiday. "I've been cooking all day."

"Aw Mrs. Kent," Lois said to her. "You should have waited for me, I would have helped."

"Oh God no..." Clark looked at her dismayed. As much as he loved Lois, cooking was not her in her wheel house, no matter how much time had passed.

"Hey!" Lois protested, punching him on the arm in retaliation, even if it had utterly no effect on him.

"Clark be nice," Martha chided though she knew he was teasing Lois. All this time and they still behaved like the two teenagers they used to be. "Of course, you can  _help_  Lois."

"There," Lois made a face at him and bounced up the walkway with one of her bags, leaving Clark with his mother.

Clark watched her go, chest swelling with warmth. God he loved her, Lois never let him have an inch and it was just how he liked it. Not to mention, it was always fun being around her. Even when they fought, it felt like foreplay.

"It's good to have you here," Martha repeated a moment later, linking an arm round his.

"This is home," he stated without hesitation. And it was true. Even though his life was with Lois and Metropolis at the Planet, this farm was his home. Whatever else might change, this place would always be where he'd come to. This place and Martha.

Martha felt a wave of emotion at hearing that. "Yes, it is," she agreed, sweeping her gaze at the house with its yellow paint and rose bushes framing the walkway to the front porch. Jonathan had painted it that colour for her before they were married. It was his way of showing her this was now her home too.

"Mom, are you alright being here alone?" Clark had to ask. "I mean after Washington, this has to be pretty quiet. I don't know if I like the idea of you being here by yourself."

"Honey I'll be fine," she assured him, understanding and touched by his concern at the same time. "I mean there's plenty to keep me busy around here and Ben Hubbard is still around helping with the heavy lifting. Besides, we've leased most of the parcels to other farms these last few years anyway. The farm is still doing what it's meant to."

"I know," Clark nodded but still felt uncertain about his mother spending so much time alone and there was apart of him that felt like a Kent ought to be working this land. No, he couldn't go there, he had chosen a different path and he knew Jonathan would have been the first to tell him so. Returning his thoughts to his mother, Clark sighed, "I just don't want you to be alone. What about Gabe Sullivan? I thought you and he might be you know...  _close_."

As much as he hated to think of his mother dating, it had been  _five years._  She had the right to move on.

"We're just friends Clark," Martha gave him a look; somewhat surprised he'd even thought that much on the subject. It was true that was the extent of their relationship but she knew Gabe would have liked it to be more. However, the unfortunate truth was; Jonathan was a tough act to follow and Gabe knew it. "Sweetheart I'm okay. After Washington, I could use the quiet life."

Clark nodded, letting the matter lie for now but he still wasn't happy about it.

* * *

 

The first Thanksgiving at the Luthor Mansion felt like the first real Thanksgiving Lex Luthor had ever had.

It had been bad enough when Julian died but when his mother passed, what warmth had been in their family drained out of the holiday entirely. He and his father would stare at each other across the elongated table set with a meal fit for a king. Yet it would be a cold, obligatory affair for them both, like it was something that they had to do to keep up the facade they were still a family.

And yet despite it all the pain and manipulation between them, Lex really wished Lionel was here now. A part of him even thought the man would have been happy for him.

The Luthor Mansion was a different place now than it had been when Lex was first been exiled here. He'd hated the place with its oppressive walls and dark decor designed to give it a false sense of history that it did not really have. Lionel had the mansion shipped from Scotland, claiming that it was the Luthor ancestral home. Considering that Lionel had grown up in Suicide Slum in Metropolis, Lex wondered whose ancestral home it really was.

In any case, the mansion had rid itself of the gloomy atmosphere thanks to Lana. She'd gutted the place after they were married. He had given her leave to make this her home and she had; until Lex's prison sentence. Lex tried not to think of that dark period, retaining only the strength it given his character because his life was back on track, where it should have been before that nightmare. Lex had sworn he wasn't going to be mired by the past he could not change. His life was going to be about the future.

Sitting in his study, he saw a small LEGO construct of a space ship resting at the corner of his desk and picked it up, studying it with amusement before he put it down and continued his conversation with Dr. Groll about a  _real_  one.

"We've got the extraction crew in place now Mr Luthor," Dr. Groll reported through the webcam image on Lex's computer screen. "The divers will use low yield charges on the outer wall to dislodge it. Fortunately, the water is deep enough for us to get the dredging gear to secure it when it becomes loose."

"Good," Lex nodded. "Have it moved to a secure facility when it's done. I'll be incommunicado for the evening."

"Understood Mr Luthor," Groll answered, aware that his employer had a young family to take care of now. "Happy Thanksgiving Sir."

"Likewise, Doctor." Lex returned before switching off the screen in time to hear soft footsteps running down the hallway of polished wood towards his study.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" The little girl burst into the room, dark hair bouncing all over her shoulder, wearing jeans, sneakers and an 'S' t-shirt that just made Lex frown. However, his dislike of that symbol could not stand up to the ball of energy who was bouncing towards him like a stray bolt of lightning.

Since Laura had found that she had what she called  _'a real live daddy_ ' like other children, she had demanded that Lex do the things that all daddies did, lifting her over his shoulders so she could fly like Warrior Angel, teach her how to ride her a bike and even build sandcastles with her. It was all very silly and precious but Lex loved it. He loved reading Warrior Angel comic books to her and watching her play dollies on the floor of his study while he worked.

This was all that Lex had ever wanted and knowing that Laura had come to him from Lana, made it all the more sweeter.

"Where's the fire?" He asked as she climbed onto his lap in two easy steps once she reached the desk.

"The parade daddy," Laura reminded him. "Mommy says she has to help with dinner so you have to watch the parade with me."

"The parade huh?" He could help but smile. How was it children could make such small requests seem like it was the greatest thing in the world? He didn't know but he wasn't about to disappoint her. Lex knew he was going to spoil her rotten all her life but he couldn't help it. It was one vice he would happily indulge. "We can do that," he said carrying her. "Do we have popcorn to go with it?"

"Oh no, you don't," Lana Lang Luthor declared reproachfully as she walked into study, staring at Lex knowingly because whatever Laura wanted, he'd cave to. "Dinner's going to be ready in an hour and you don't want to fill out on junk food."

"Sorry Starbuck," Lex glanced at her apologetically before regarding Lana with as much affection. "Do you need any help?" He asked her aware that she was doing it herself. Lana had insisted the staff be given the day off for the holiday, certain they could make do without them for 24 hours. That included the cook.

"Not at all," Lana answered, warmed by the sight of her daughter's around her father's neck, in a scene that Lana had once dreamed off. Her own childhood had been tragic and this day was already unfolding to be what she'd always wanted from her life. "Just keep the Munchkin entertained while I'm cooking."

"You know we could have kept the staff on for the night," he reminded gently.

"No we couldn't," Lana retorted, giving him a look that indicated that the subject was closed. "It's Thanksgiving and they should be with their families, the same way we are. Besides, I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for me and Laura for the last five years and it will be no different except this time, I've got a bigger kitchen to work with and you're here." She winked at him affectionately.

Still carrying Laura in his arms, Lex met Lana in the middle of the room and gave her a tender kiss on the lips. "You don't know what it means to me to be here too," he said quietly, his emotions naked across his face.

"I do Lex," Lana's eyes misted over with similar feeling. "It's the same for the both of us."

"Daddy," Laura whined, tugging at his shirt, impatient by the whole display even though it was nice to see Mommy happy, "the parade's starting..." she reminded.

She didn't just tug at his shirt, she tugged at his heartstrings and Lex had no power over those pleading brown eyes. She shared that trait with her mother.

"Duty calls," Lex surrendered with a happy shrug, reminding himself that this was the reward for five years of wrongful incarceration, this life that was everything that he'd ever wanted.

"Wait til you have to sit through the Little Mermaid  _ten_  times," Lana smirked, leaving Laura to her father as she retreated to the kitchen once more.

"Thanks," Lex laughed and turned his attention to his daughter. "Come on Starbuck, let's go watch that parade."

* * *

 

As Doctor Groll stood on the crane barge that had initially been brought to the project to remove larger pieces of debris from the ruined dam, he felt the sting of the icy November chill against his face. It was dark and while most people were at home enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, he had no such obligations. The pursuit of science had come at a cost that Groll had not regretted paying, especially during moments like this.

Beneath the dark water of Smallville dam, the find of the century awaited discovery. Luthor wanted the ship ferried away as soon as it surfaced, taken out of Smallville for some nondescript warehouse where they could study it properly. Groll had no problem with that. Like his employer, he selfishly wanted this discovery all to himself and had no desire to share the irrevocable proof of extra-terrestrial life with the world just yet. Not until they had cracked its shell open and wrung out every last drop of information first.

"We're ready Dr. Groll," Sorenson, the Operations manager of LexCorp's special projects team announced as he approached him. Like Groll, Sorenson was dressed in a heavy parka, keeping the cold at bay as much as possible. Of course, this close to the water, in Kansas, there wasn't really much that could keep the cold away entirely.

"Do it," Groll ordered trying to keep the anticipation out of his voice. He wanted to see it, wanted to touch the alien metal under his hands.

Lifting his cell to his lips, Sorenson gave the crane operator the signal. Beneath the dark waters, explosive charges had freed the ship already. After that, the divers had secured the vessel as much as possible with moorings and high tensile cables that were usually used to lift ship containers. The area in which the ship had penetrated the outer wall of the dam was sealed as tightly as possible to avoid further damage to the facility. The instant it had been free of the wall, cubic tonnes of water had come bursting through the cracked concrete and flooded the entire section.

What remained of the wall had crumbled into the river bed and become just another under water debris field. Nevertheless, Groll had taken all the necessary precautions. The dam had been evacuated of all workmen except those needed for the extraction and the rest of the facility protected much as possible. The staff had been told that Mr Luthor wished them to spend Thanksgiving with their families at full pay. Not that Luthor had given any such instruction but Groll was confident that to avoid questions the man would sanction it.

Groll watched as the divers broke surface from the depths and made their way to the side of the barge, wisely getting clear as the crane began to do its work. At Sorenson's signal, the thick, metal cables from the crane jib began to tighten, groaning with exertion as they started dragging the unseen ship to the surface. He watched as the cable shuddered and tightened, winding around the pulley mechanism, heaving with every length retracted.

Minutes that felt like hours ticked by, excruciating in their slowness. Groll didn't realise he had been holding his breath until the white froth of the breaking surface tension disrupted the reflection on the dark water. The dark red canopy as he called it, appeared first. Gleaming with moisture, it looked almost black as more of it was exposed to the chilly night air.

The water came off it now in, looking like an impossible fountain suspended in mid air. It rolled off the dark hull and dribbled back into the dam, following the angular configuration of the ship. It looked almost exactly like Milton Fine's ship, except this craft was dark red. Groll suspected that if the power was restored, it look like a piece of burning ember from a fireplace.

It was...  _magnificent_.

The boom of the crane began to pivot, bringing the ship towards the barge, away from the water. Droplets of water sprinkled over the deck as the arm swung and the ship rocked somewhat precariously against its moorings.

"Be careful!" Groll shouted as he watched it nearing the deck of the barge where the ship would rest. Now that they were so close, he was at his most anxious.

Sorenson seemed to ignore him, continuing to issues orders verbally and threw hand signals to his crew who knew their jobs and their equipment far more intimately than they knew this scientist. The ship was brought safely past the edge of the barge, hovering for a moment above the deck where it was intended to rest before a final order from Sorenson lowered the crane's arm. It touched the metal deck with a loud thud that seemed to reverberate throughout the vessel and in the bones of those on board.

Groll wasted no time moving in, not even waiting for the cables to be detached. He moved immediately to the ship, studying the sleek lines of the thing, constructed from metal he knew would not exist on their current version of the periodic table. Distantly, he called Luthor's order to contact him as soon as the ship was on board but that request seemed far away now, almost inconsequential. Luthor had chosen to be with his family, he had given up his right to be  _first_.

Above the ship, the mechanism holding the cables in place released and they went slack around the ship, like the arms of a mother who knew her child was inherently lost. Groll walked along its edges, following the line of symbols that adorned the wings. The men on the boat also looked on in awe but fear kept them a reasonable distance away. Groll held no such limitations, he was a scientist and there was no such thing as the unknown; just that which had yet to be discovered.

"Dr. Groll," Sorenson warned as he saw the doctor approach it much closer than he liked. He knew the Luthors from years of employment and the son would no less be happier about being usurped than the father.

Groll ignored him, pausing at the hull where the wing met the nose, to study the symbols circling what appeared to be some kind of octagonal panel. Mesmerized by the possibility that this this could be a door, he reached for it.

The reaction upon contact was immediate.

Almost as if the ship were alive and outraged by the interference, it powered up, the brilliant light of its engines turning its reddish hull into a vibrant crimson colour. The symbols lit up, similarly scandalized. The ship shot up a meter above the deck and before coming about sharply. It knocked Groll off his feet, swatting him off the barge like an impudent child before its engines fired fully, incinerating everyone on the deck with a blast of heat. They barely had time to register what was happening before they were dead.

Engines fully functional, the ship escaped into the night, like a shooting star disappearing into the mountains.

* * *

 

It was just like old times, Clark thought as he sat at the head of the table with Lois and Martha, getting ready to carve the turkey. Of course, it wasn't exactly like the past, not with Jonathan's absence and moments like this were when Clark felt his loss most profoundly. Still this was not an occasion to mourn, this was a day of thanks and as Clark looked at Lois and his mother, he knew that life was mostly what he'd always wanted it to be.

Before the end of this night, he might even have something else to be grateful for. He gave Lois an enigmatic look before catching Martha's gaze. She knew what he was about as he'd discussed the matter with her earlier when Lois was freshening up. Martha had been thrilled to say the least. Clark hoped Lois would feel the same.

"Come on Smallville," Lois teased, "carve this thing already. I'm starving."

"Alright, alright," Clark gave her a look as he picked up the carving knife, " it's not like you didn't fill up on doughnuts before we got here." He chided.

"That's not  _real_  food," she pointed out haughtily, "that's travel food and it doesn't count."

Clark opened his mouth to retort but Martha interceded as always, separating them like warring children instead of two people deeply in love. "Before it gets cold sweetheart."

"You two are ganging up on me," he complained good-naturedly and lowered the blade to the crisp skin when suddenly, something cut through his ears like an ice pick to the brain.

The scream in his mind, was so piercing, so desperate that Clark staggered back from the table, his face contorting into a grimace of pain as he reached for his ears, trying to block out the sound only he could hear. He hadn't heard the chair behind him hitting the floor as he knocked it onto its back or the fact that both Martha and Lois were on their feet, demanding what was wrong.

"Smallville! What is it"? Lois demanded cold fear in her eyes as she stepped towards him.

It was amazing how quickly some things returned to Martha after raising a Kryptonian for twenty years. "Clark," she caught him by the arm, "what's happening to you?" She could tell by the way he was clutching his ears that he was hearing something, something that neither she or Lois was privy to.

"It's screaming!" Clark shouted over the sound, hands still covering his ears to block out the noise. "It's screaming for help!"

Confused, Lois asked the obvious, "whose screaming?"

Clark met her eyes and replied, "The ship. The  _ship_  is screaming for help."


	4. Broken

To be honest, Bruce hadn't expected very much when the lights had dimmed under the Big Top.

In the past few years, he'd seen too much of the strange and incredible to believe himself capable of being awed by animal tricks, fancy illusions and incredible feats. He'd seen a man bounce bullets of his chest and a woman who had fought a god. After that, a circus seemed rather trivial in comparison. Nevertheless when the time came, Bruce played the part of the gracious benefactor, taking his front row seat amongst the elite of Gotham, that included American aristocracy, politicians and other luminaries that added as much to the spectacle as the players about to perform.

There were other reasons for his ambivalence that had little to do with the quality of the performance and everything to do with his own damaged psyche. He hadn't been to a circus since he was a little boy. His parents had taken him on his fifth birthday. It was a circus not unlike Haly's and Bruce remembered sitting on his father's shoulders as they navigated the crowds of people moving through the fairground. The world had seemed so vast then, with so many people that he had been a little frightened but his father had that way about him, that calm, reassuring voice that everything would be alright.

And for that day at least Thomas Wayne was right.

Once the lights had dimmed and the calliope music started to play, Bruce had forgotten all about his fear and become lost in the wonder of clowns, dancing bears and acrobats.

However as the light dimmed to herald the beginning of this performance, Bruce found himself slowly and surely being won over by the charm of the event. Unlike most of its contemporaries, Haly's Circus had opted to not to update its look for modern audiences. No David Copperfield lightshow or CrissAngel sideshow here. The decor was traditional in bright, cheery colors of red and cold with old style playbill posters announcing the acts with girls, smiling happily at the audience.

With its strobe lights zigzagging across the tent and crushed velvet curtains hiding the next act before they entered the center ring, the atmosphere and the performances charmed younger audiences while reminding older ones of better days. There were all the old favorites, clowns, trained animals, sword swallowers, musicians, jugglers, unicyclists and even hoopers. The audience was gasped and cheered, overwhelming the carnival music with thunderous applause.

Of course, by the time these had concluded; the audience was eager for what came next and with that the high wire acts were unveiled. Tight rope walkers, the various acrobats and trapeze acts all whetted the crowd's appetite for Haly's Circus star attraction, which was of course the Flying Graysons, the family of flying trapeze acrobats who were capable of performing the much lauded quadruple summersault.

Despite his earlier indifference to attending this performance, Bruce had to confess that by the time the Graysons were announced, he was rather looking forward to seeing the act. Particularly after meeting the youngest member of the troop whom he'd met backstage. The exchange with Dick Grayson still brought a smile to his face and made Bruce recall the time when he had considered the possibility of having a family.

He and Chloe had talked about it after he'd proposed. Bruce remembered being surprised by her statement that she'd love a bunch of kids. He never considered that she would want children. She always seemed more focused on her career as a journalist and Bruce's ideas for righting the wrongs in Gotham had yet reached its full shape. However, Chloe had wanted a family and when he was hers; Bruce had wanted one with her.

He'd liked to think a child with Chloe would have been happy like young Dick Grayson.

"Haly's Circus is proud to present, the stars of the high-wire, the Flying Graysons!"

The lights dimmed even further and the spotlight darted to the top of the trapeze board where the family was perched, mother, father, two other trapeze acrobats that were part of the troop but didn't appear to be family and finally Dick. The applause grew deafening as the little boy waved to the crowd, beaming in pride before looking to his mother and father, happy not just to be performing but for performing with them.

The act began with the troop making a few routine stunts. John Grayson was the catcher, mounting the fly bar and catching the rest of the troops as they leapt off the board and performed their stunts. It appeared that it was the Grayson family unit that was the real stars of the troop. Both John and Mary were capable of executing the quadruple summersault and had thought the technique to their son. It showed in his performance. Dick held his own with against his older team mates, soaring through the air like a bird into the outstretched hands of his father.

 _Robin Redbreast_ , Bruce was reminded once again.

For the first half of the act, the netting below ensured that no one was seriously injured by a fall, not that there was any danger of that happening with the expertise on display. Each one of the Flying Graysons performed their stunts with Olympic level precision and even Bruce was impressed by their skills. Even when Dick leapt off the platform and performed his quadruple somersault, the net remained.

Clearly, no matter how talented their son was; Dick's parents was determined that he remained safe. Bruce respected them for that.

Finally the act moved towards it climax and the net was removed with much fanfare from the ringmaster. The audience was asked to refrain from flash photography or making loud noises to ensure the performers were not distracted during the dangerous stunt. Bruce noted that Dick was sidelined as John and Mary Grayson stepped forward. Clearly they weren't risking their young son for this particular stunt even though Bruce thought the boy was quite capable of executing it perfectly.

John Grayson leapt off board with flawless execution again, taking up position on the second fly bar as the catcher, swinging back and forth to maintain the perfect rhythm he needed for when his wife joined him. Suspended by his knees, his outstretched hands awaited his wife to step forward. Mary was a graceful beauty with a swan like neck and a brilliant smile, stepped off the board, leaping into the air. She caught the first fly bar easily and began to propel herself towards back and forth, preparing for her next stunt.

When she picked up enough momentum, she would let go of the bar to execute a perfect quadruple somersault before catching her husband's waiting hands. The crowd felt silent as they saw Mary complete the somersault, her agile body sailing towards her husband's outstretched hand, moving through midair like a human Catherine wheel. John caught her easily and the crowd exploded into applause.

And then it went horribly  _wrong_.

Like the rest of the horrified spectators, Bruce could only watch as the weight of the couple on the fly bar snapped the ropes attached to it. The sudden drop and the smooth surface of the fly bar gave Jon no traction to maintain his grip and it was lost in a split second. Neither of them screamed as they plunged to the ground though if they did, it would have been lost in the shocked cries of the audience.

They landed in a sickly thud of bone and flesh against the sawdust, the height they'd fallen from allowed no chance of survival. As the blood spread across the sawdust, creating a pool of red around their broken bodies, only silence followed. The audience was still too stunned and horrified to find the words though it would be only a momentary pause before the chaos erupted. Before the screams began.

Bruce thought he was going to be sick. John and Mary's bloodied bodies were so reminiscent of that night in Crime Alley that he could barely stand it. The only thing missing was...

Oh Jesus Christ.  _The boy_.

Bruce raised his eyes slowly to the trapeze board, feeling the world slow around him. He almost didn't't want to look at the eight year boy staring down at his dead parents, wearing an expression that ripped the very core right out of Bruce Wayne. It was a reflection of anguish and horror that would be years in the making, that had killed a childhood as surely as the people lying dead before the audience. It was everything that he'd fought so hard to prevent, to ensure would never happen again.

It wasn't just his failure that Bruce Wayne saw in the boy's face, it was  _himself_.

* * *

 

The screaming didn't stop. It lanced through the brain like a splinter bent on driving him mad.

Unable to think or even fight back, the only action that Clark could take was to leave the farm before he lost complete control of himself and inadvertently harmed both Lois and Martha in the process. The pain was all encompassing, the white sound eclipsing all his senses, demanding his attention by using any means at its disposal to make him submit. Forced to the skies, Clark had no choice but to answer the desperate call of a ship whose origins he knew nothing about. Only that it needed help and he was the only one who could provide it.

Struggling to maintain some semblance of control, Clark slipped out of his everyday clothes, hastily changing into his suit to avoid exposing his identity, all the while enduring the torturous ringing pounding through his skull. Had he presence of mind to think of it, he would have wondered whether or not Smallville's residents had looked up into the evening sky and seen Superman flying by. Most likely wondering what catastrophe had taken place locally that warranted his appearance. However, his current circumstances allowed him no such preponderance.

And yet despite the agony he felt, there was something familiar about all this, even if the intensity was different. In fact, the closer he got to the source of the white hot sound, Clark became convinced this was not the first time he had been assaulted this way.

Jor-El had often summoned him like this.

This noise that he had so dreaded in his youth was the same as what he was experiencing now, he was sure of it. But it was impossible! With Zod imprisoned in the Phantom Zone and the Brain Interactive Construct destroyed for good, there was no way for a Kryptonian to escape and come to Earth, no way for any technology that did not originate from the fortress to find its way back to him. Indeed it couldn't even be the fortress that was issuing this summons.

After the Jor-El matrix had sacrificed itself to destroy Brainiac, the fortress a shell of its former self. It was now little more than an interactive archive that would answer questions when asked but the guidance that Jor-El had offered was no more. That aspect of the fortress was gone forever, much to Clark's sorrow. For so many years, he had only wished Jor-El to leave him alone. Now that the last trace of his biological father was gone forever, Clark felt anything but relief.

How this had come to pass was incidental to his immediate problems. The sound, a Kryptonian siren song that only he could hear was overriding all his senses. The pain could not harm him permanently but that didn't mean he wanted to endure it any longer than he had to.

He was barely aware of the journey as he flew across the length of Lowell County where Smallville was located. Familiar landmarks rushed past him but Clark was in no condition to appreciate them. He was nothing but a red blue blur as he soared across the skies of Riley Field where the Smallville Fertilizer plant, now reopened by Lex, stood. Crater Lake rushed past him, as did Burnham Wood and Shuster's Gorge. For a moment, Clark actually wondered if the ship was speeding towards the fortress, the white noise leading him like he was tethered to it.

But he soon realized they were not going north but moving from one end of Smallville to the other.

When it appeared that he might have been nearing the source of the sound, Clark realized exactly where he had been brought. He even wondered if the place was transmitting some unknown signal that directed all alien traffic to it. The place was Miller's Field. It was here, that his parents had found him years ago when his rocket ship crashed during the Great Meteor Shower of Smallville.

Using his enhanced vision as he descended into the field, Clark caught his first glimpse of the craft and confirmed his suspicions about the ship's origins. The ship was from Krypton.

It led a trail of destruction across the unfarmed parcel of land. The ground was smoking with the charred remains of incinerated corn and grass, presumable from the engines when it finally touched down. This ship had landed badly with the nose coming in too low, creating great rips in the earth when it finally touched down. Its velocity propelled it ahead nonetheless, plowing the land before it came to a gradual stop. The destruction ensured that was no hiding this from anyone. There were intermittent fires of still burning vegetation scattered across the field but these he had to ignore for the moment.

He had to know what this ship was. Approaching it, he could see its angular shape, wedge-like in its configuration. Once it had come to a stop, its nose was partially buried in the dirt but the rest of it remained visible. Clark was immediately reminded of the Black Ship, the one piloted by the Brain Interactive Construct to Earth who caused so much destruction and death.

 _Like Chloe_ , he thought sadly.

Clark closed in quickly on the Kryptonian ship. The impossibility of its presence had superseded the evidence of his eyes. The engines were still rumbling with life and Clark saw that instead of being black like Brainiac's ship, this one was red and with its engines activated, resembled an ember of hot coal in the fire place. It continued to emit is high pitched wail making Clark race towards it at super speed. When he reached the hull, he noted the symbols displayed along the length of its wings.

What they meant sent such a wave of shock through him that for an instant, he forgot the noise because these weren't just symbols of a dead language; this was a message to  _him_.

 _To_   _the son of Jor-El, we give our most precious gift, the only thing we have left to us of Argo, the last city of Krypton_.

What? Clark's astonishment at those words almost overrode the pain he was feeling. The intensity of the sound was ear splitting now, as if it was reaching crescendo and Clark shook off the mystery to silence it once and for all. It didn't take him long to find the means to do that. What passed for the ships canopy bore an octagonal symbol against its hull, not unlike the disk he had recovered from the Kawachi Caves.

The etched symbol reacted immediately to Clark's touch. The screaming sound noise stopped abruptly without any warning. For a few seconds, Clark stood there, letting the ringing in his ears diminished to nothingness. Nevertheless, it still left a bitter metallic aftertaste in his mouth but Clark was already recovering quickly and as his senses returned to normal, he became acutely aware of the state of Miller's Field and how exposed he was.

First things first, Clark decided, putting his curiosity about the ship aside for the moment, to extinguish the flames caused by the landing. It took only one extended exhale on his part and the flames were snuffed out, bathing the field in darkness once more although he knew it wouldn't be long before people came to investigate.

While Miller's Field was on the other side of Smallville and not terribly populated, there were still a few farms scattered about the area and those engines had sounded like a plane doing a flyby. The landing would have been even louder than that. Even if no one had noticed that, it surely had to be tracked by satellite when it entered the atmosphere. Whatever needed to be done with the ship, he needed to do it fast because company was almost certainly coming.

However, when Clark turned back to the ship, his senses were invaded by another sound just as compelling as that high pitched scream.

Crying, someone inside the ship was crying.

Pressing down on the octagonal symbol again, it radiated with a bright white light before the ship's canopy retracted. The hatch slid back with a low, metal screech to expose the cockpit that was just large enough for one occupant in a prone position. Except when Clark laid his eyes on that one person, they weren't lying in serene repose but crouched against the wall of that small space, body shuddering from wracking sobs.

It was a  _girl_.

"Hey," Clark's tone became gentle immediately. "Its okay, no one's going to hurt you." He wasn't sure if she could speak English but assumed that like most Kryptonians who travelled to Earth, there had been some kind of language imprint on route. Certainly, every Kryptonian who'd arrived on Earth had been able to communicate.

She raised her chin and stared at him, blue eyes filled with tears that showed despair and fear. He estimated she was about fifteen, perhaps even younger. She was just a kid. With long blond hair that lie across her shoulders and face in an unruly tangle, her wet cheeks were still chubby with baby fat. She was wearing some kind of white shift, with a blue, gold pendant held around her neck with a thin gold chain. Clark thought she was very pretty and would be dazzling when she grew up but right now, all he saw was fear.

Her eyes latched onto him and he noted her brows furrowed in confusion.

When she spoke, it was a stutter. "Uncle...uncle...Jor-El?"

Clark's eyes widened.

"No," he corrected her but was nonetheless surprised as all hell by the assumption. "I'm Kal-El. Jor-El was my father." He introduced himself politely making no sudden moves. She looked like a frightened rabbit, ready to jump at the slightest movement. Besides, his memory of Diana was a lesson well learnt about dealing with super powered females who were caught unawares.

"No," she shook her head as if he'd reveal some preposterous truth, "you can't be! Kal-El was a baby! He laughed when I tickled his feet."

 _Still did_  but that was for Lois to know, Clark thought to himself.

"You knew me on Krypton?" Clark couldn't help but smile at that, though if she did, she would have been older than him. "Who are you?" He had to ask. She's obviously known Jor-El to make the mistake that he was his father and she'd called him Uncle. Was that because they were related in some way?

"I'm Kara," she whispered, still appearing as if she was trying to wrap her head around what was happening. "Jor-El was ...was... my father's brother but I don't understand...my father said that I had to come here to find Jor-El to help Argo City."

With a flash of insight, Clark guessed what might have happened but he had to ask Kara to tell her story nonetheless. "This Argo City was in trouble?"

"Yes," she nodded wildly, "my father was a scientist too and…and…he protected Argo City by creating the Dome. We lived inside of it for years. I was nine cycles when Krypton was destroyed. We drifted out of the system but the Dome kept us safe until the sickness came."

"The sickness?" Clark asked

"Yes, we didn't understand why but people were getting sick. We tried to build ships to bring everyone to Earth but we couldn't get them ready in time. This pod was the only thing that could leave the city. My parents said I had to come to Earth to find Jor-El so that he could help us."

Clark made the calculations. If Kara was nine when he was a baby, then she would have spent five years in space in her Argo City. He would have been six years old by the time she left her home to come here. The journey from Krypton to Earth with Kryptonian technology should have taken months, not this length of time.

There was only one reason why it had taken her almost two decades to get here. She was in stasis all that time and he was certain her father knew she would be. Perhaps it was the only way a desperate father could convince his frightened child to leave without her parents. In the same way that Jor-El had sent him here to Earth so that he would not die with Krypton, Clark was certain Jor-El's brother had done for Kara.

Finally, Clark understood what the message on the ship  _really_  meant.

Their greatest gift to him was Kara, his  _cousin_.

* * *

 

Lex's desire for a Thanksgiving with his family came to an abrupt end shortly after he and Lana had started to clear the dinner table once the meal was done. They'd eaten early to accommodate Laura's bedtime after which he intended to spend the evening watching television with the little girl and stealing some quality time with Lana. Lex had also planned to tell her what they'd found at Reeves Dam.

There had been a moment when he had considered hiding the truth from her but it was a fleeting. thought. He could not forget that his relationship with Lana had really started to evolve out of their mutual need for answers regarding the Black Ship. Hiding it from her now would be a betrayal on a very profound level. Lana had given him a second chance at the family he'd always wanted and it was not about to squander it.

All Lex had ever wanted was to be a better man for her and part goal of that required honesty. He wasn't going to lie to her now that they were beginning their life together again. She was his partner in all things and this was one instance where he would have to trust her. If he didn't she'd never trust him again.

The call from Dr. Groll had come through to him by way of his cell and though he had resolved to ignore the call, the number of times Groll had called, was too many for Lex to ignore. The insistence of the man to reach him after his explicit instructions made Lex draw no other conclusion other than something of urgent had come up. After he taken the call and learnt what had happened, it was all he could do to keep himself from flinging the cell against the wall.

Groll's incompetence had forced him to bring up the subject now instead of later after Laura had gone to bed because even after five years, Lana could read him well enough to know something was wrong.

This was exactly the case when he returned to the dining room where he'd been helping her clear the table because right away, she knew something was troubling him.

"Lex?" She asked, her brow's knotting in concern. "What is it?"

Lex exhaled loudly, dispelling his reluctance to get the words out. "Lana, I was trying to save this conversation until after Laura went to bed but something's happened that I need to tell you about now." He stared at her apologetically across the table. In the next room, they could hear the television blaring with holiday cartoons, keeping Laura sufficiently entertained while they had this discussion.

"This sounds serious," Lana retorted even though she'd guessed as much just by the look of him, without his even having to admit that it was. Setting down the plate in her hand onto the forming stack on the table, she prepared to listen.

"I know what Fine was after when he killed my father and framed me for Chloe's death." Lex announced, watching her reaction closely as he spoke.

Her expression became granite but her eyes burned with rage at the sound of  _that_  name. Fine had taken Chloe away, ruined her marriage and near destroyed her family. When his crime was discovered, he had threatened her baby's life. There were some things that couldn't be forgiven and even though Fine was dead, as much as a living computer could die, Lana didn't feel he had paid nearly enough for what he had done.

"Why?" she asked, her voice icy.

"There was another ship in Reeve's dam, another Black Ship," Lex answered and saw a shudder run through her. However, she was listening intently so he continued. "Dr. Groll told me about it when I was down at the dam today. It had crashed into a section of the facility that Fine, when he was posing as my father, had kept restricted. I think that during the second meteor shower, when we had that seismic disturbance, it had become dislodged from wherever it was and slammed into an outer wall."

The timeline fit because Lana remembered the occasion when Lex had left her and the baby to go investigate the damage. It was shortly after that, everything started to go wrong.

"If it's been there all this time, "Lana replied evenly, refusing to become overwhelmed by the implications, "then what was Fine doing? He could have removed it at any time?"

Lana knew the whole truth about Fine even more than Lex did because of Clark. She knew he wasn't really a person and that he was a Kryptonian AI. What terrified her now was that this ship could be some kind of failsafe to restore his program in case he was destroyed.

"I don't know," Lex admitted, glad that he had told Lana because she not only could handle the information, she had valuable insights he might not have considered. "I ordered Groll to move the ship somewhere safe but not to touch it. From what I remembered about the Black Ship, Fine made sure human contact would activate some defense system. The fool..." he paused, his jaw ticked at keeping his composure because he was furious at the doctor. "He touched it."

"Oh no," Lana gasped needing to sit down now. "What did it do?" She was almost afraid to ask.

Lex didn't mince words. "It killed everyone on the boat, except for Groll and flew off."

"Oh my god..." She cried, her eyes filling with horror and sympathy as she thought of those poor souls lost because of one man's haste. However, she allowed her vulnerability a moment of time before her mind switched to more practical concerns. "Lex, we have to find that ship."

Lex almost smiled, a woman worthy of him he thought. "We've tracked it to Miller's Field, I was about to tell you that I need to leave to go deal with this."

"I'm coming with you," she stated. Her tone indicated it wasn't a request.

"Lana," Lex hesitated, uncertain he wanted the mother of his child anywhere near that ship. "I don't know if that's a goo idea."

Lana was having none of that. "Lex I don't want to hear it," She said firmly, "I'm  _going_."

He gave up. Just the gleam in her eyes told Lex, she would be obdurate on this point and a part of him that was thrilled that she would be at his side on this. '

"Alright," he conceded. "We  _did_  start this together." Lex reminded her affectionately.

Lana smiled at him with similar regard but inwardly, she knew this time, she was the one keeping secrets.

* * *

 

**THE CROW'S NEST**

**DESMACHER TOWER**

Grace liked coming here.

The crow's nest perched atop of Desmacher Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Metropolis was as its name promised; a place to see the entire city from one end of New Troy island to the other. From Metropolis Harbor to Centennial Park and even Suicide Slum, this spot hid nothing from the observer. It was a panoramic view of this world's greater city. Even the skyline was impressive, punctuated by tall, gleaming skyscrapers, the crown jewel of which was the LexCorp building, standing defiantly over all challengers, like the WGBS Building, Wayne's Metropolis Tower, Queen Industries and the grand lady, the Daily Planet.

With the wind rushing through her red hair, Grace was felt a little less homesick when she stood above this the vast urban sprawl, filled with its little people going about their little lives, waiting for the boot that would bring order to their lives. They would appreciate the ecstasy of submission once they were free from the chaos of free will. She had been in this city for only a number of months but already, she felt nothing but contempt by humanity's arrogance that hope was the miracle salve to all their woes.

Most of all, she was tired of Superman who was the standard bearer for this childish wave of optimism. All it did was weaken them, made them leave their hearts exposed in their chests, ripe for the impaling. Just like Superman was weak.

All that power, squandered on sentimental heroics.

However, tonight, something had  _changed_. Something had cried out to her in fear, begging for help. It pierced her thoughts with its desperation, reaching out to her from a distance, making her flinch with its intense scream. Grace wasn't certain if she could track it, she needed the expertise of someone better suited for the hunt than she. But she had to move fast, she recognized it for what it was.

The distress beacon of a  _Kryptonian_  ship.

Darkseid would want to know.

Activating the communicator which looked like a woman's compact, it lit up with red glow before an explosion of sound, easily mistaken for a thunderclap, boomed through the air. It sent the birds perched a top the building, flap their wings frantically to escape. There was a sudden gasp of wind in front of her, like someone had taken a deep breath, before the portal formed in mid air. It was not large enough for her enter but it was certainly wide enough for a signal to be established between Earth and home.

Grace waited until a face appeared through the swirling eddies of quantum particles before she spoke to the other side. "Brother I have news for Darkseid. I've detected another Kryptonian signal."

The face looking back at her was only a few years older, with the same red hair and piercing blue eyes. "Are you sure it's not that Kryptonian flying around your city?" Her brother asked skeptically.

"No," she said quickly dismissing the notion. "It's a ship's distress signal I'm sure of it and its Kryptonian. It could be Brainiac. It's been months since his battle with the Kryptonian. We've had no word from him since. I believe this could be him after repairing himself."

"Alright," he finally agreed. "He was to be our intermediary with Zod in the Zone. Darkseid wants that alliance to happen for his Anti-Life research. I'll get Granny to send the Furies. Lash will help you track the signal with the Swan's help."

"The Swan?" Grace shuddered. The fiercest of Granny's furies, Grace preferred to keep her distance but she had no say in the matter.

"Yes," Godfrey replied. "I believe she's  _local_."


	5. Devastation

Clark had serious misgivings about leaving Kara's ship behind but under the circumstances, he had no other choice.

While he was certainly capable of taking the craft to the fortress, he couldn't be certain if he could do it without half of Lowell County seeing him. Smallville wasn't Metropolis but Clark couldn't discount the possibility that a handful of people may have seen the ship come down in Miller's Field after its brief flight. Furthermore, where had it originated from in the first place? For all he knew, it could have flown across town and removing it might result in more questions being asked than leaving it where it was.

In any case, he had more immediate concerns.

Kara was still very much in distraught state of mind. She had stopped crying but now appeared to be in shock. When Clark bundled her up in his cape, she offered no protest. She submitted to his will because the fight had bled out of her once she realized she was too late to save the people she'd left behind. As he carried her, she felt very small in his grasp and Clark was reminded a rabbit he had found when he was thirteen. Bloody and mangled, he had found it cowering under some bushes, after being set upon by a dog. Clark never forgot how the look of terror in its eyes despite his good intentions. Kara reminded him of that rabbit right now.

The low whine of sirens, quickly identified as emergency services vehicles of some type, reached his ears from across the distance. A quick scan with his telescopic vision confirmed which it was. Fire trucks and police cars led the convoy on route here. The local authorities would cordon off the place once they saw the ship. After that, it wouldn't be long before the military showed too.

That is if Lex didn't beat them to it first.

Enough of Lex's memory, after Brainiac's mind wipe, had remained for his former friend to maintain his predilection for the unusual. Time had not changed Lex's obsession for alien technology or strange phenomena. Despite Clark's falling out with Lana at not revealing the truth about Lex's innocence at Chloe's death, they had still enough of an understanding for the restored Mrs. Luthor to keep him apprised of Lex's activities in this regard. Lana had sworn long ago she would keep his secret and despite their estrangement, she was still keeping that promise. Fortunately, while Lex retained memories of Milton Fine and the Black Ship, he hadn't yet associated it with either Krypton or Superman.

Before the occupants of the approaching vehicles could catch a glimpse of him, Clark decided it was time to leave. As much as he did not like leaving the ship behind, in a choice between it and the girl, there was no contest. At least Clark could take comfort in the fact that the ship was incapable of giving up its secrets to anyone who wasn't from the House of El.

Leaving behind Miller's Field, Clark also had another dilemma to confront. As much as he wanted to believe that Kara was indeed his own flesh and blood, he knew his need for connection with Krypton was a weakness easily exploitable. After all, hadn't Jor-El done the same thing? This wasn't the first girl named Kara Clark had encountered. Of course, those circumstances were very different to this occasion. Back then, he'd been fighting his Kryptonian heritage with fibre of his being. Jor-El had been forced to resort to trickery in order for him to face it.

Now Jor-El was gone. The fortress was little more than an archive housing all Kryptonian knowledge but the sentient program that had been such a big part of Kal-El's life was gone. Even as he debated this, he knew without doubt that the ship was from Krypton. With his enhanced vision, he'd been able to verify its authenticity. The language on the hull was the language of his dead race and the ship reacted specifically to his DNA. Jor-El's training had left him with enough acumen to tell the difference between the real thing and a fake.

The ship was real and if the ship was real then so was the  _girl_.

And if she was really from his bloodline, was doubting her the best way to begin their relationship? Even as he flew home, he could feel her breath against his skin, the soft shudders of stifled tears against his chest. Kara was clearly traumatized by her abrupt awakening to find that everything and everyone she had ever known and loved was lost forever. At least Clark had the benefit of never remembering Krypton or his biological parents. What he did not know, he could not miss and Jonathan and Martha had filled that void so superbly, he never felt the loss as acutely as he should.

However, it was different for Kara. She did remember her parents. They were memories fresh in her mind as was her Argo City and its people. The realization that she was twenty years too late, to help them was devastating, even more so because her father had tricked her into making the journey. Alone and lost on a new world with powers that ensured alienation from everyone Clark couldn't even begin to imagine how she must feel. Even at the worst moments of his youth, Clark was never isolated. He had his parents, Chloe, Pete and for a time, Lex.

Shock and grief had kept Kara from registering that they were flying and Clark wondered what preparation had she been given for life on Earth. Had Zor-El told her about the effects of the yellow sun on her physiology? Did she have any inkling about the tremendous power she now possessed? Where Argo City had been? Did its people have powers? Despite his sensitivity to Kara's fragile state of mind, Clark also wanted to ply her with a thousand questions. Yet as she pressed her head in the crook of his arm and wept softly to herself, the heart in his chest melted and he could not bring himself to do any of that.

After it was all said and done, Kara was just a frightened kid.

Arriving at the farm, his return was announced by the sudden tinkling of wind chimes on the porch and squeal that came from the weather vane on the roof spinning wildly. Inside the house, curtains rustled with the sudden gust of wind that came about from his descent. No sooner than Clark had touched down on the walk before the front steps, Lois burst out through the door, with Martha following closely behind.

"What the hell Smallville?" Lois demanded in typical indignation as she marched up to him. "You scared the crap out of us, flying off like that!" Her voice was full of bluster and annoyance that Clark knew to be her worry for him.

Instead of apologizing however, Clark stayed her outrage with a shake of his head. "Lois," he said gently, indicating she had to calm down because there were more important things afoot. Parting his cape, he revealed Kara's form huddled against him. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck and she was clinging to him the way a child would cling to its mother.

Lois fell silent immediately at the sight of the young waif Clark was holding in his arms. Right away, Lois could tell she was young. No more than fifteen by her estimation. The puffy cheeks stained with tears, the red nose and the bloodshot eyes told the reporter that the girl had been through an ordeal she had yet to recover from.

Meanwhile, Martha could only see the disconsolate expression that made her want to immediately give the girl a hug and tell her that everything was going to be okay.

"Mom, Lois, this is Kara," Clark introduced her to two women who were staring at him, wanting answers as to how this had come about. Not wanting to launch into a lengthy explanation about Kara's origins at the moment, Clark gave them the best abridged version he could. "I found her in Miller's Field. She came down in a ship from Krypton."

While Lois didn't get the significance of the location, Martha certainly did.

Miller's Field was the place she and Jonathan had found Clark so many years ago. If a ship from Krypton was going to crash in Smallville once again, why shouldn't it pick a place that had already been used for the purpose? However, Clark's brief statement would have to do for now. Further explanations could wait until the girl was taken care of. Her maternal instinct kicking in, Martha approached the girl cautiously.

"Hello Kara," Martha said kindly, reaching for her cheek gently, "I'm Martha. You're safe now dear. We're going to take care of you."

"Yeah," Lois added her voice to mix, gratified that Mrs. Kent was taking the lead on this. Despite her burning curiosity, she was hip to Mrs. Kent's need to assuage the girl's obvious trauma. A surge of admiration filled her as she saw Martha Kent using that wonderfully reassuring voice, capable of healing wounds that might have been just too much for any child to bear. "You can trust us Kara," Lois said offering a similar smile, "You're going to be okay."

Kara's eyes touched the two women uncertainly but the warm touch of the older woman made her feel a little better.  _Just like mother_ , Kara thought until she remembered that Alura In-Zee was now gone. She had died twenty years ago along with her father, her friends Tayla and Dor-En and the rest of Argo City. The realisation that they were dead and the magnitude of the loss threatened fresh tears she barely managed to stifle but somehow held back nonetheless. Nodding slowly to show that she understood, Kara said nothing else, too overwhelmed to comprehend anything beyond the grief she felt.

"Clark, let's get her into the house." Martha urged quickly, taking charge of the situation. The poor girl looked scared to death. Those tears were about more than just fear, Martha was convinced of this without hearing the whole story of how Kara had come to be on Earth. "Take her upstairs to the spare room. Lois, do you have some clothes she could wear?" Like a general issuing orders, Martha didn't wait to get a response as she directed her son and daughter-in-law (almost) to help the new arrival in their midst.

"Yeah sure," Lois nodded, conditioned to obey Martha Kent as much as she was to obey her father the General,  _especially_  when she was spouting orders like that. She wanted to help Kara as much as Clark and Martha but recognised that comfort and nurture was just not apart of her makeup. Rescuing studly naked aliens in cornfields she could do;  _this_  was harder.

As she bounded up the steps, Clark moved past her with a loud swoosh that had her hair blowing in all directions as he disappeared through the doors.

Sweeping her gaze across the expanse of the farm to ensure no one had seen Superman disappear into her house, Martha followed them in wondering what else the night had in store for them.

* * *

 

Bruce was walking around in a vacuum.

Even though he one amongst a crowd, no sound penetrated the bubble of his thoughts. He could see people around him and occasionally one would stop and talk to him but the voice was muted and the words went unheard. It wouldn't matter even if he could hear them, at this moment words felt meaningless. As he moved through the Big Top, nothing felt quite real, the whole scene had an intangibility about it; like he was peering into someone else's nightmare.

The burst of a camera flash bulb made him flinch and Bruce blinked once or twice to dispel the spots that danced a myriad of colours in his eyes as the brilliant flare subsided. When his vision returned to normal, his gaze followed the direction at which the camera lens was focused. The scene it captured sent fresh icicles of cold lancing through him as he stared down at the blood soaked sawdust within the circus ring.

Contrary to popular belief, there was no chalk line to indicate where the bodies had been, just a bright red stain that spread out across the ground, creating a macabre outline of their skulls after they had landed. As they had in life, the Graysons commanded the centre ring in death. All eyes were focussed where they had fallen.

The coroner had taken away the bodies after receiving the all clear from the Forensics Team who had collected as much evidence from the Graysons as they could before spreading out to the immediate scene. Once the Graysons were away, all that was left for they to do was to catalogue every facet of the scene for analysis later. Painstakingly sifting through the detritus of the tragedy, the technicians appeared clinical and unaffected despite the tragedy affecting everyone else. Bruce admired their detachment.

Cops were spread out through the room, carrying out a multitude of duties, their blue uniforms giving the chaos some foundation. They were cordoning off the scene, keeping the audience in the tent and away from the crime scene, some were taking eye witness statements while others tried to hold back the media frenzy outside the Big Top. Reporters, photographers, the full brazen cadre of the fourth estate were demanding entry, enemies at the gate who wanted their big story.

The folk of Haly's Circus was nowhere that animated. While they were being interviewed, their colourful costumes a vulgar contrast to the sorrow he saw on their faces. There was no doubt as to how profoundly affected they were by what had gone on here tonight. Their faces ran the gamut of shock, horror and grief as they came to grips with the loss of two were more than just colleagues and friends but rather family. Bruce didn't think he was influenced by some Hollywood cliché or a romanticism regarding carnival life. It was the truth. He could see it in the anguish of the faces before him.

Bruce was moving through the proceedings like a ghost, present but affecting nothing. He only paused when he saw he caught sight of Commissioner Jim Gordon talking to the boy.  _Little Robin Redbreast who'd fly no more_.

The child was sitting on a hay bale, perhaps even the same one that he had been perched on when Bruce had spoken to him earlier that evening. It felt like a lifetime ago now. Jim had put a blanket around his small, slumped shoulders and was drying his wet cheeks with a checked handkerchief. The scene could have been a snapshot from almost twenty years ago when Gordon had comforted another boy who's world was similarly shattered.

For what could be the first time in his life, Bruce thought he was going to be  _sick_.

He had to walk away to a secluded corner of the tent and pull himself together because he didn't want to be seen like this. Crushing the sick that wanted to crawl up his throat, Bruce told himself that he had dealt with this a long time ago. He couldn't be the Bat and do what he had to, if he couldn't get a handle on his emotions. Yet Bruce knew he was not made of stone. He did feel and sometimes there were people who broke through his defences to show him just how much apart of the human race he still was, despite his best efforts to deny the fact. People, like Alfred, Clark, Lois, Diana and of course Chloe.

And now it seemed  _this boy_.

This boy who would go through all the things he had, who would cry the same tears and feel the same anguish and rage at being unable to understand the violence done to him. He would begin his holy war against Fate and stumble in the dark for a path to follow, a path that could make him an even worse monster than those who had harmed his parents or make him something to celebrate their life. Bruce saw all this in front of the boy and knew he wanted something better for young Dick Grayson.

Uncertain of what was in his mind, Bruce approached Jim and the boy, listening closely.

"...its going to be alright son," Jim's kind voice said.

 _No it wasn't,_  Bruce rejected silently,  _its never going to be alright ever again_. The shattered look in the boy's eyes said as much. Still, Bruce couldn't deny the affection he felt for Jim Gordon at the moment, the good man who had been there for him the night his parents were murdered, whose strength of character were things to aspire too, even more than the pageantry of the Bat.

"Commissioner," Bruce cleared his throat.

Jim looked over his shoulder, annoyed at the interruption but then his expression softened because he remembered who he was talking to. Not just the wastrel billionaire who appeared as if he didn't have a single, sensible thought in his head but once upon a time, a child who had lost his parents the way young Dick Grayson had. When he stood up, he saw in Bruce Wayne's usual vapid face, the same anguished expression of twenty years ago. Dick's tragedy had affected him on a very personal level and Jim forgot all about the man's history after that day.

"Mr. Wayne," Jim eyed him with concern, having no heart to be impatient with the man right now, even if this was not the time for an interruption. Dick was the one who'd lost his parents tonight.

Bruce was accustomed to Jim referring to him as 'Mr. Wayne' before this but tonight, it felt wrong. The formality of it didn't fit the occasion at all.

"Is there...anything that I can do...to help?" Bruce asked, the words escaping him in an uncharacteristic stammer that Gordon recognised for what it was.

Jim felt a wave of sympathy for Bruce then, understanding why the man was here, how connected he must feel to young Dick Grayson at this moment. He supposed if there was anyone who understood what Dick Grayson was feeling right now, it was Bruce Wayne. Jim wasn't blind to the parallels between the two right now and thought that perhaps the man could help a little.

Stepping away from he boy, who barely noticed their departure, Jim led Bruce a few feet away and spoke in a quiet voice to prevent Dick from hearing them, if the boy was in the mind to eavesdrop which Jim didn't think he was. "Could you stay with him awhile? I can get one of my cops to do it but I think you might be better for the job." He didn't have to elaborate why. "We're going to have to arrange somewhere for him to stay tonight. He doesn't have any family and due to the nature of the crime, he can't stay at the Circus. Unfortunately, its going to have to be Child Services."

The thought made Bruce's jaw clench so hard, it was surprised that Jim didn't hear it through the chatter under the Big Top. Without even considering what was coming out of his mouth, Bruce found himself speaking. "Jim, he can stay at the manor for the night. At least until you decide what comes next. His first night  _without them_  shouldn't be...at Child Services."

Jim stared. He hadn't expected that much empathy from Bruce, not based on his impressions of the man since reaching adulthood. The idea was a good one because Wayne Manor had all kinds of security that would ensure the press got nowhere near the boy. Child Services seemed like a cruelty to inflict upon the boy after what had happened tonight and he knew Alfred Pennyworth. The butler had kept in touch with Jim Gordon after the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne, letting Jim know how young Bruce was doing as well as getting updates on Joe Chill's parole hearings. If Bruce was an uncertainty, Alfred Pennyworth certainly was not.

However, Jim still had his reservations, "Mr. Wayne, I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Jim," Bruce found himself using a tone that the man would have found familiar on another occasion. He knew he shouldn't but tonight, Bruce wasn't as in control as he should be. "I've been where he is right now. Both me and Alfred."

Jim's eyes met his immediately. A flicker of recognition appeared in them before it subsided. His expression went from hard to sympathetic in a brief moment of exchange before he nodded, " I guess you do." Exhaling loudly, Jim nodded. "Alright Mr. Wayne, he can go with you tonight but I'll need him at the precinct tomorrow morning and we'll have to decide a more permanent settlement for him."

"I understand," Bruce answered, gears already turning in his head.

A few seconds later, Bruce found himself dropping to his knees in front of Dick Grayson, heart clenching at the sight of fresh tears running down the boy's cheeks. Bruce felt fresh rage at the act of brutality which made that happy, charming child of earlier into this frail, broken boy.

"Hello Dick," Bruce said gently.

Dick raised his chin at the voice and met Bruce's gaze. "Mis...Mister Wayne." He stuttered, his lower lip trembling.

 _He was so young_. Bruce found it hard to believe that he too, had been that young once, that devastated. "We're friends Dick, you can call me Bruce."

Dick Grayson nodded mutely, looking at Bruce with blue eyes filled with anguish and fear. "My mom and dad..." he stuttered, "they...they...fell."

Bruce blinked, feeling his emotions well up hearing that tiny voice making that childlike admission. "I know," he nodded. "I'm so sorry Dick." He said touching the small shoulder.

"They...they...never fall. Not...not even at practice...why...why did they fall?" Dick demanded, needing answers, confusion etched in his face as he tried to wrap his mind around how it had happened.

"I don't know," Bruce answered and hated that he had to lie. He had heard enough to know that the ropes holding the trapeze that hadn't just given way, they had been  _cut_. However, Dick wasn't ready to hear the word 'murder' associated with his parents' death. That would come soon enough. "No one has the answers yet. It will take a few days for them to know for sure."

"What...what...about me?" Dick asked, sniffling loudly with fear exuding from every pore. "Can I stay with the circus?"

"No," Bruce shook his head slowly. " I'm afraid not Dick. Until they know what happened to your parents, you can't stay here."

Anguish became despair and he burst out, a litany of childish fears passing his lips as he stared at Bruce, needing help and not knowing how to get it. "But...I don't know...anyone...else... we never had...a real... home...I don't have any uncles...or aunts...or grandparents. Everyone I know is here!" He looked around the circus. " I don't want to go away where I won't see Mr. Haley and my friends!"

More anything Bruce wanted to tell him that he was going to be safe but that wasn't a promise he was prepared to make. "No one's going to stop you from seeing them," Bruce assured him but you can't stay here tonight. Not until the police figure out what happened tonight."

Dick didn't look like he understood as he sniffled again, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand. However, he nodded, resigned to the fact that was going to happen to him was going to take place whether he had a say or not. That defeat nearly broke Bruce's heart.

"Dick," Bruce drew in a breath and asked, "would you like to come home with me? Just for tonight? I promise I'll bring you straight back here as soon as they tell me its okay too. If that's what you want."

The offer caught the boy off guard and he stopped sniffling, looking at Bruce as if he were seeing the man for the first time. Mr. Wayne didn't tell him everything was going to be okay, he seemed to tell Dick the truth. He'd only met Bruce tonight but there was something in the way the man spoke to him that gave Dick the sense that Bruce might be okay, that he understood what Dick was feeling. That saying he'd feel better wouldn't make it so.

Nothing would make it better. Not ever again.

Hesitantly, Dick nodded. The momentary pause between sobs had ended and the pain swelled up inside him again, forcing the grief to completely overwhelm his emotions. With nowhere else to go, the despair escaped him in loud wracking sobs and as dam broke, the torrent of anguish drove him to wrap his small arms around his new friend's neck.

He didn't even notice when Bruce Wayne hugged him back.

* * *

 

Lex felt perfectly justified in his fury when he and Lana finally arrived at Miller's Field.

A small crowd of onlookers had formed at the perimeter of the property, held back by a mixture of LexCorp security and a dwindling number of Smallville deputies. Emergency vehicles that had rushed to the scene in anticipation of wreckage and casualties had been assured that nothing so calamitous had taken place and the crash had not resulted in any deaths or damage. His PR people had concocted an appropriately acceptable story that had them on their way once they had verified the details.

The 'official' story was LexCorp was testing a prototype military drone that had gotten away from them.

Accustomed to Luthor eccentricities over the years, the explanation satisfied the local authorities who were happy to hold the line until a LexCorp's retrieval team could arrive to remove the drone themselves. In an effort to minimize the risks of their cover story being blown, LexCorp didn't any waste time arriving on site and were in place in less than thirty minutes. A security team led by Shaw Madison, a former LuthorCorp, now LexCorp employee, had erected barricades around the ship to ensure the public did not get too close a look at the thing.

Despite the spin however, there was no denying the situation which should have been a covert night time operation had degenerated into a fully-fledged fiasco.

Lex had managed to keep secret that a handful of LexCorp employees had lost their lives that night because Dr. Groll had prematurely activated the ship when he came into contact with it. Lex had recalled Fine having some kind of security in place that kept the craft from being tampered with and Groll should have known better. The doctor was presently recuperating in a LexCorp medical facility but Lex wished he could say the same for the men on the boat who had been caught in the ship's engine burn to fatal consequences.

Driving themselves to the site, Lex and Lana arrived at Miller's Field to find LexCorp Security politely giving the local authorities leave to go. As the ship had been deemed LexCorp property, there was no need for the deputies to remain. As they departed, Lex heard some of the policemen advising the bystanders to go home. Of course, a downed aircraft, especially a prototype one, was bound to draw substantial interest in a small town. As long as the locals remained behind the barricades, Lex saw no reason for his security team to get heavy handed.

It would only imply they had something to hide. Which they did.

"Mr. Luthor, Mrs. Luthor," Shaw Madson greeted them when they stepped across the barriers and proceeded towards the ship. The area around the craft was illuminated by strobes of light radiating from hastily erected outdoor lighting.

"What's the situation?" Lex demanded as Shaw led them towards the ship.

Lana swept her gaze across the landscape and saw that the tall grass had been crushed into the dirt thanks to the heavy vehicles that had been traipsing across the field in the last hour. The ship itself had ploughed deep grooves into the ground, leaving clumps of grass and earth in two long lines behind it. The heat from the craft had created a thin veil of steam across the ground and made even more spectral by the bright glare of the lights.

"The locals bought our cover story," Shaw explained. "We've told them that we had some kind of guidance system failure. We implied that LexCorp technicians were able to bring it down in the field to keep it from crashing into a populated area and there could be some possibility of radiation leakage."

"Is there any such leakage?" Lana asked, concerned not only for herself and Lex but also because Miller's Field was surrounded by several other working farms and she did not wish to see those properties contaminated.

"Not to any level that could be considered dangerous, Mrs. Luthor," he answered. "We've had our technicians go over the ship for any such indications, just to be safe." He assured her.

"Are the engines still running?" Lex asked as he saw the silhouette of the ship appear in the distance. There seemed to be no signs of it from his initial observation but he wasn't a scientist.

"No," Shaw shook his head, repeating the data given to him by the technicians, "the ship is completely inert now except for one thing."

"What?" Lex demanded, shooting him a hard stare. This whole situation had escalated so beyond his comfort levels that he did not want to imagine something worse could happen. As it was, he was grateful that Lana was taking it the way she was, that she was proving true to her word that they were partners in this.

Shaw couldn't meet their eyes and said simply, "Its better if you look for yourself."

 _That didn't sound good_ , Lana thought and exchanged a glance with Lex as the technicians surrounding the ship stepped aside to give them an unobstructed view of the craft.

Lana let out a soft gasp, immediately revisited by images from seven years ago when she had first seen the Black Ship. It was almost exactly alike in design, except this one had a red tinge to its hull rather than being wholly black. Upon seeing her reaction, she felt Lex's fingers around hers and she looked down to see him looking at her with concern. A soft smile crossed her lips to reassure him she was alright before she faced front again.

The ship sat in the middle of the field and as Shaw stated earlier, showed no signs of life. The hull which had been illuminated to a bright red when its engines had ignited was now a dull, ashy colour. Even the symbols splayed across the hull were barely discernible now. However, Lana knew immediately that it wasn't this that had concerned Shaw so much but rather what was revealed by the open hatch.

It was the hatch to the cockpit and its occupant was  _gone_.

Now it was Lex's turn to have his breath catch in his throat and standing next to him, Lana shared his concern. She knew what he was thinking of when he saw that empty cockpit. The Black Ship had unleashed Milton Fine into the world, an alien whose intent was to remake the Earth in the shape of another world, to prepare it for domination by his master, Zod. For Lex, Fine was  _still_  at large. He knew nothing of Brainiac's destruction by Superman because Lana's promise to Clark prevented her from revealing the truth to him. So she could imagine what was in his mind at this moment.

Did this ship belong to Fine as well and was it him that emerged from it?


	6. Overwhelmed

"Well she's asleep," Martha announced as she descended the staircase to join Clark and Lois at the dining table where the couple were putting away the remnants of the half eaten Thanksgiving meal.

After taking Kara upstairs, it became clear that the person she was most comfortable with was not her cousin from Krypton but his adopted mother. This did not surprise Clark in the slightest. Martha's kind and gentle nature was just the tonic needed by a young girl who had woken up to find her own mother gone. When it became clear that it was Martha that Kara responded best to, Clark and Lois withdrew, allowing Martha to care for Kara without overwhelming her with too many new faces.

"She's still pretty shaken but at least I got her to rest. She's emotionally exhausted," Martha explained and lowered herself unto one of the chairs at the dining table.

"She's had a rough time," Clark commented as he retreated to the kitchen and started brewing Martha a cup of tea, heating the water with his heat ray vision. He had no doubt that the comment was seriously underestimating the extent of Kara's ordeal. "As far as she's concerned, she's only left Argo a couple of hours ago, not  _twenty_  years."

"The poor kid," Lois shook her head as she sat down across the table from Martha. "She must be scared out of her mind."

Trying to empathize with Kara, Lois imagined what it was like to wake up one morning and find your entire world turned upside down. She reached for Martha's hand and squeezed it, a gesture of affection for the woman's ability to soothe Kara's fears. Not for the first time, Lois thought on how fortunate little Kal-El was to have been found by the Kents when he first arrived on Earth.

Then again, the Kents had welcomed a number of strays to their home over the years.

While Martha had been upstairs with Kara, Lois and Clark had the chance to talk about Kara. Was she really from Krypton? Was Clark absolutely sure on that? Her journalistic instincts made her incapable of simply accepting Kara's story on face value and she wanted to make sure that Clark's need for connection to Krypton did not affect his judgement regarding the truth of Kara's origins.

Fortunately, it appeared Clark had also similar suspicions since it wasn't the first time a girl named Kara had come to the Kent farm. Years ago, Jor-El had tricked him by sending a girl named Kara to the farm, claiming to be of Krypton. While he had learned that girl was called Lindsey Harrison, it was telling that Jor-El had chosen to name her Kara. Had Jor-El chosen that name to represent his brother's daughter? That was too much of a coincidence for Clark to ignore, coupled with the authenticity of the ship she had come from. Besides, Clark did intend to take Kara to the fortress eventually. Right now however, it was more important to help her adjust to her new situation on Earth.

In the end, Lois silenced her concerns because she trusted Clark to make the right decision. If he said Kara was from Krypton, then so be it.

"There's that," Martha agreed with Lois about how frightened Kara was as Clark put a cup of tea in front of her. Giving him an appreciative smile, Martha continued speaking a moment later when Clark returned with coffee for himself and Lois. "And the fact that she's lost her family and friends. She didn't say very much but I managed to get that from her. Kyrptonian or not, at the end of the day she's a teenager who's lost everything she ever knew. That's a terrible shock to the system."

Clark didn't disagree since that was the same story Kara had told him when he first found her in that ship. "I don't think it helped that she thought she was coming here to help this Argo City. Her father told her to come find Jor-El. When she saw m that's who she thought I was. I guess I must look like him," Clark commented, drifting off for a moment as the realisation solidified in his brain.

Clark was so accustomed to thinking as Jor-El as the disembodied voice that had plagued throughout his youth, that it was jarring to think of him as a person let alone that they shared the same genetic material. It made him sad to think all that was left of Jor-El for Clark to know was a program that depicted none of the man's warmth but only his intellect.

Noting his pensive gaze, Lois nudged his foot lightly under the table, a tiny gesture to tell him that she was here for him. Wanting to propel the discussion past that sombre pause, Lois made an attempt to get back on topic.

"Why would her father lie to her though?" She asked, not really expecting an answer although Martha had one to give.

"If I wanted my child to leave without me, I'd be willing to tell that lie," Martha replied without hesitation. She knew herself that if it she was given the choice to save Clark, she would have made that choice a dozen times over. There was nothing a parent would not do to preserve the life of their child. On that point, Martha understood Zor-El clearly. "It looks like going above and beyond seems to run in the family," she gave Clark a little smile. "Kara's father was just as determined to save her as Jor-El was about you."

Clark could not refute Martha's statement and added, "It makes sense. Kara said that her father was able to save their city  _after_  Krypton's was destroyed. Somehow, it lived for five years until people starting to get sick."

"I thought once they were away from their native star system, Kryptonians were pretty invulnerable. Everyone that you've run into on Earth seems to be that way." Lois pointed out, having read Clark's journal of his experiences with Jor-El and Krypton some years ago. "I mean I'm no science geek but they couldn't keep the city in the system would they? I mean if we're thinking about a Cloud City type scenario."

Clark smiled faintly by her description but couldn't give her a definitive answer. "I didn't get that much detail from Kara about Argo but I can't imagine they would be able to stay there. There would have been too much debris. It wasn't just Krypton that was destroyed but Rao, their sun."

"Clark," Martha said ominously, a dark thought forming in her head. "What if the city was built on part of Krypton and it left the system?"

The realisation came upon him so hard and sharply, he stiffened in horror.

"Oh no," he exclaimed softly, "it would have turned to kryptonite."

Remembering how agonising it was just to be in proximity of the stuff for just a few minutes, Clark could not imagine being trapped indefinitely with that radiated material underfoot. Even though they had died twenty years ago, Clark suddenly appreciated how terrible it must be for Kara to know that she had been unable to help any of them, how helpless she must now feel because he felt the same frustration.

"Those poor people," Lois shook her head, trying to come to grips with all those lives lost and feeling for the two remaining survivors who could do nothing but mourn them.

"He must have known," Martha said, feeling the emotion well up in her eyes. "That's why he sent her away, it was the only way to save her, to get her away from it."

"I'm glad you found her," Lois said reaching for Clark's hand and squeezing it. "But now that she's here? What comes next? I mean she has your powers right?"

Clark hadn't even thought that far ahead. He knew she hadn't reacted to him flying them here but then again, she had been fairly distraught at the time. However, it wouldn't be long if those powers manifested themselves and he knew from first hand experience how overwhelming that could be.

"She will," he nodded. "I'll have to help her with that but I don't know how long it will take for it to show up. I mean most of my powers didn't come all at once. I mean some things were always there..." he mused and then turned to his mother as she'd know better than him when he'd first started to show his abilities. "Mom?"

Martha couldn't help but smile a little because she's remembered everything about Clark's formative years. She remembered the first day they brought him home. How he'd broken through playpens and smashed toys without meaning to. The first time, they'd taken him to get vaccinations (at a clinic out of town), he had bent the needles and when he started walking, they'd learned how fast he could be. When he started to run, it ended up with Martha and Jonathan chasing after him through the cornfields with the truck just to keep up with him.

"The strength and invulnerability were there from the first day," Martha replied, "the speed came a little later, when you started walking. A lot of your other powers, developed in High School, the super hearing, the x-ray vision and then there was the heat vision, remember that?" Martha glanced at him, a little mischief dancing in her eyes.

Lois saw Clark actually blush.

"Lois doesn't need to hear about that," Clark dropping his gaze to the coffee in his mug.

"What?" Lois stared at Martha and saw the older woman suppressing a smirk. "Oh come on, you've got to tell me now." She nudged Clark.

"Its nothing really," Clark cleared his throat and explained the details of how his first experience with heat ray vision had appeared when he had encountered Desiree Atkins, an extremely attractive and ultimately homicidal substitute teacher.

Lois laughed out loud.

Clark made a face at her and gruffed, "alright, alright, it's not  _that_  funny."

"Actually it kind of is," Lois couldn't help it and continued to snigger until Martha swatted her lightly on the shoulder to make her stop. "Okay, okay, so Kara might have some time before it all hits her?" She said getting back on the subject again.

"I think so," Clark said uncertainly. "It took me years to get used to it but I was only a kid, she's a teenager, it might be different. I've got to help her though this."

"Well you're the only one who can," Martha agreed. "You know what's coming and she's going to have a hard enough time adjusting to being on Earth as well as these powers."

"Mom, I know it's a lot to ask but she needs to stay here." Clark said looking apologetically at Martha. "I'd take her to Metropolis with me and Lois but she's too exposed out there..."

"Honey," Martha stopped him from going any further. "Of course she can stay here and honestly, I think it's a good idea that she does. She's scared and alone. A big city is going to be very overwhelming for her right now. She can stay here and get her bearings a little. You can come home and teach her about her powers on the farm."

"Thanks mom," Clark leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

Lois was about to comment when she saw the flickering images on the television set which was still on but on mute. Her eyes widened when she saw Bruce's image on the screen.

"Clark," Lois stood up immediately and walked over to the set, picking up the remote to turn the sound back on.

"What?" He asked and followed her gaze.

"...sources claim the police have not ruled out foul play. The Flying Graysons were well known throughout the country as the best flying trapeze act in the business. With their young son, Dick Grayson, John and Mary Grayson were the only trapeze artists capable of performing the quadruple somersault. Halys Circus had been performing at a charity event sponsored by the Wayne Foundation to raise funds for Gotham City Orphanage."

The commentary was followed by an image of Bruce making a beeline for his limousine, escorted a young boy with a look of utter devastation on his face.

Those who knew him saw Bruce looking almost the same.

* * *

 

_What are you doing?_

_What do you think you are doing?_

_This isn't a puzzle or a crime to be solved, this is a child._

For someone who had steered most of his life towards a predestined course, Bruce Wayne found himself navigating through uncharted waters with dangerous currents he had no power to predict. Every part of his adult life was carefully considered with an outcome was never in doubt. Bruce made his decisions based on quantifiable data, an ability to play the probabilities and absolute faith in his ability to push himself beyond the limits he set for himself. He had learned the hard way, what happened when you gambled and after he had lost Chloe, he had sworn he'd never assume anything again

And yet as he carried Dick Grayson in his arms, an eight year old boy who had wrapped his thin arms around neck and allowed himself to be carried like a child, Bruce knew he was acting from a place he seldom gave time of day, his  _gut_. Dick's situation that spoke to him on such a fundamental level had touched Bruce more than he'd care to admit. Here was a child, whose pain mirrored his own terrible night and something in Bruce wanted to make it better for Dick. There had to be something of value in being there before that would give him the insight on how to help this boy.

Dick had held up as they were ushered to the limousine through the chaos of exploding camera flashes, microphones thrust in his direction by reporters demanding their pound of flesh, none who seemed to possess the decency to leave the boy to his grief. It was only after they were safely in the stretched limousine, driving away from the media circus that made Haly's pale in comparison that Bruce saw his resolve crumble and he had started crying again.

He'd buried his face in Bruce's chest and wept, each sob driving needles of heartbreak through the older man. Seeing Dick's profound sorrow made Bruce remember his own. However, he also remembered how Alfred had consoled him and put a comforting arm around the boy's slight shoulders and pulled him into a hug, letting Dick's anguish bleed into fabric of his Brioni tuxedo.

At that moment, Bruce wished Diana was here. She'd know what to say to the child. She had that way about her, the calm, nurturing warmth that might have come from Gaea itself. It radiated from her like the sun. People never caught on to the fact that the most beautiful thing about Diana not her appearance but rather her kind, compassionate soul. Right now, Bruce thought Dick might have benefited from her presence.

By the time they arrived at the Manor, Dick had stopped crying but he clung to Bruce because he was eight years old and right now, he had no one else. It hurt to see the boy so broken, so wounded and Bruce was almost grateful when he saw Alfred waiting for them at the front steps. When they arrived at the manor, Bruce saw Alfred was already waiting at the front steps for them and didn't have to ask if the man had seen the new coverage of the accident.

Alfred opened the door for them as soon as the limousine stopped. As Bruce carried Dick out of the car, Alfred retrieved the small bag that had been packed for the boy before he left the circus and then gave the driver his leave to depart. Only when the vehicle was rumbling down the crushed gravel of the mansion's driveway, did Bruce address the old butler. "Alfred, this is Dick, he'll be staying with us tonight."

Even as he said those words, something told Bruce that wasn't going to be true.

"How do you do Master Dick," Alfred greeted very properly, prompting Dick to peer past Bruce's shoulder to take a peek. "You must be chilled, let's get you covered up shall we?" Alfred said wrapping the blanket draped across his arm around Dick's shoulders.

"Thank you Alfred," Bruce said and realised he was thanking the older man for more than just the blanket. This evening had been a revelation not just because of Dick but for the first time, Bruce could appreciate what Alfred had felt that night when he was brought home after his parents' murder. The man was probably experiencing a sense of  _deja vu_.

Their eyes touched and Alfred acknowledged the thanks with a little nod he got back to the business at hand. "Master Bruce, I've prepared a room Master Dick," he said turning on his heels and leading the way up the manor steps. "I thought it prudent that it be situated close to your room, just in case."

The boy wasn't going to sleep well tonight; that was a given. Even if he did, Alfred didn't imagine it would be a restful sleep. The boy had seen his parents die and that image was going to plague him as merciless in slumber as it would in his waking hours. Certainly that was how it had been for Bruce and it had been worse for Bruce who was convinced the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne was his fault. It had taken Alfred weeks to coax that information out of him and the butler doubted he had ever really managed to convince Bruce that it wasn't the truth.

Little was said as they took Dick upstairs. The child had cried himself out and now was simply exhausted. Like all the rooms at Wayne Manor, this one was similarly large and opulent. It contained a four poster bed and the accompanying pieces of furniture that sat on an expensive Persian rug, surrounded by pieces of artwork that should be in a museum. The adjoining ensuite came with brass fittings and expensive marble tiles.

 _Too extravagant for a child_ , Bruce thought and felt a wave of embarrassment at having to place Dick there because this kind of luxury seemed vulgar in the face of what he lost.

Alfred had warmed the room and drawn the covers, dimming the lights to make it look less foreboding. The old butler stood back and let Bruce deal with his young charge, watching in silent contemplation.

Bruce lay Dick against the sheets and drew the covers over him. Dick rolled over, back facing his new benefactor, curled up in a little ball. The boy wanted to shut the world out for awhile and deal with his pain, Bruce could relate.

"I'll have Alfred bring you some cocoa," Bruce offered. "He makes it pretty good." Bruce knew this from experience. "Are you hungry?"

Dick shook his head in response.

"Alright," Bruce said taking the hint that he ought to leave the boy alone for now. "If you need anything, I'm just down the hall."

Another slight nod followed.

Bruce sighed and left the room, not knowing what else to do.

"He says he's not hungry," Bruce told Alfred after he shut the door behind him and drew away from the room.

"I'll fix him something light anyway," Alfred replied not to be deterred. "Young boys are often hungrier than they think."

They walked a few more feet with Bruce saying nothing, deep in thought and unaware that Alfred was observing him closely. For the first time in years, Alfred realised Bruce had no idea where to go next. It was obvious to the old butler why Bruce had brought Dick home. However, Bruce was not one to act purely on instinct. He'd become slave to his logic and his control over the years and while there were glimmers of humanity in his interactions with Miss Diana, Mr. Kent and Miss Lane, he had never been as wholly human as he'd been with Chloe Sullivan. Now Bruce had brought this boy home who didn't need a Batman to help him but someone who had understood his pain on an intimate level.

"Master Bruce," Alfred finally broke the silence, "what do you intend by this?"

"I don't know," Bruce answered honestly, trying to make sense of the action he had taken tonight. "I saw him up there, looking at them, seeing them dead and I knew I had to take him away from all that, I had to protect him."

"Protect him, Master Bruce?" Alfred eyed him. "Protect him from what?"

"From what comes next. He doesn't have anyone else Alfred," Bruce declared, like he was trying to convince not just Alfred but himself. "He's alone. I couldn't stand the thought of him going to foster care. I just wanted to take him away...to make it easier for him...somehow."

"Master Bruce," Alfred said kindly, "you know better than anyone that  _nothing_ can make it easier."

"I know," Bruce answered with a sigh before continuing "but there was so much rage in me for so long. It was unfocussed and feeding on itself if I didn't do something about it. I couldn't breathe for how angry I was. That kind of anger can take you to dark places Alfred. I know because I've been there. I don't want that for him. What I went through, there has to be some reason for all that pain, something more than just me being Batman. If there's chance I can make it better for him, I have to try."

* * *

 

The only thing that Grace disliked more than the city was the country.

Her nose curled with the stench of what she was certain was an animal by-product of some kind.  _Probably dung_ , she thought. The country air reeked of it and despite her best efforts to keep the windows on her car up, the pervasive odour filtered through her vehicle and was probably stuck to her clothes now. It was a scent she abhorred, one that screamed the natural world, raw and unprocessed, not to mention lacking design or purpose. In a word;  _undisciplined_.

The country crystalized the worst aspect of the Earth; its lack of order.

Not like home with its machinery perfection. Every creature apart of a grand plan, a perfect engine of purpose, working to a common goal. There was no indecision, no scattershot thinking, just a singular understanding of one's place in the order of things. No one in her world questioned their existence. No one was presumptuous enough to dare. God was in their midst and he had only one expectation of them that could not be doubted.

Obedience.

After she'd been given the order by Godfrey that Granny's best would be arriving soon to take charge of the search, she chosen to track the signal back to its source. Grace had driven out of Metropolis, using technology far beyond Earth's primitive capabilities to lead her to her Kryptonian prize. If she could locate it first, then perhaps she could tell Godfrey that they didn't need the Swan to track the ship. Granny's Furies were not trained to be subtle and Grace couldn't see any outcome where they could do so without alerting the Kryptonian.

The signal led her Lowell County and Smallville, the name given to the rural backwater located in the heart of the area the ship had purportedly come down. Surrounded by cornfields, farmers and dung, Grace supposed that there were worse places on Earth that the ship could have elected to land. However, she wished it was not so populated. Thanks to her monitoring of the police band, Grace was able to pinpoint the exact location of the craft's descent. Unfortunately the method by which she had come by this information ensured her that other parties would surely be involved to complicate the situation.

As it stood, the ship had been seen by numerous people as it flew across Lowell County. Enough so that the police and appropriate emergency services had been alerted by terrified phone calls were now mobilised to act. Reports from the public and eye witness sightings had given the authorities enough information to follow the ship to its crash site. Thus were soon approaching the ship with enough fanfare to ensure the presence of locals so that when she reached Miller's Field, there was a decent sized crowd in attendance.

She parked her SUV at the top of a hill frames by more damn corn, to ensure she could observe what was happening without being seen herself. Her mission on Earth required she remained unseen as there was a grander scheme at play. Its success demanded the maintenance of that secret. Her anonymity that would almost certain be destroyed if Granny's Furies weren't given a specific target to hunt.

She was also mindful of the possibility that this commotion might bring the Kryptonian. After all, this was a ship from his destroyed home world. Why wouldn't he investigate? The same signal that had brought the craft to her attention would have surely reached him. It puzzled Grace why he hadn't appeared to claim it? Brainiac had stated that the ship held something of vital importance to her master and the Kryptonian had destroyed the ancient AI, possibly because he knew what it was. If so, then where was he?

Grace frowned as she saw a new set of vehicles appear and these were definitely not attached to the local authorities. One of the large, semi-trailers was emblazoned with a logo she knew all well from her association with Braniac. LexCorp. Of course, she'd known it when the company was called LuthorCorp and Brainiac had been impersonating Lionel Luthor who he'd murdered five years before. Since the destruction of the Construct, the son had been released from prison and had systematically began the process of reclaiming the company, beginning with its new self-aggrandizing moniker.

Once LexCorp personnel had arrived, she noted the slow departure of the local authorities. Men in dark suits and stern faces took the place of the cops from the sheriff's department and began ushering away the gawkers. In less than an hour after the arrival of Luthor and his wife, there was no longer anyone in Miller's Field who didn't have a right to be. Whatever they intended, LexCorp had no attention of tolerating an audience doing it.

 _Damn_ , she cursed.

She was too late. Even as she watched them, she knew that they were going to move the ship and hide it somewhere she'd most likely never have access to, not without the help of the Furies. Any chance of subtlety being employed would be gone. The Furies would lay waste to everything to achieve their goals and their methods meant a lot of collateral damage. Her suspicion was confirmed when she saw the heavy machinery roll onto the scene. Realising that time was not on her side, Grace conceded to the fact that she had to contact Godfrey and tell them that they needed the Furies  _now_.

Less than an hour later, in the middle of the empty field not far away from Miller's Field and certainly out of sight of any other living soul in the vicinity, Grace waited for the arrival of her master's elite warrior force. She did not have to do so for long. Once she had transmitted her location, she knew that it would be a short time before they arrived. She'd sought out the most remote location she could find to transmit and now sat on the hood of her car among the stalks of corn, bracing herself.

She could tell immediately when the portal began to form. The air became charged with electricity. She could almost smell the heavy, burning smell that preceded the lightshow that would bridge two worlds. The explosion was loud enough to flatten all the vegetation around it. Heat and concussive force had cleared the land in a second and out of the rippling circle of energy hanging in mid air, stepped three figures shrouded in the radiating light of the wormhole. Even from minimum safe distance, Grace could tell who Granny had sent.

The first, a tall, statuesque woman covered almost head to toe in a duraskin bodysuit armoured in all the appropriate places, was Lashina. She wore a helmet that allowed only her eyes to be seen. Clinging to her belt were the weapons that had earned Lashina her name. Lash, as she was called, was known to Grace was the field leader who had commanded hundreds of mission for Granny and Darkseid. It was rumoured that she'd died once but Darkseid had seen such her value in her that she was regenerated. Such was the power of Darkseid.

The second was not so valued but tolerated and Grace shuddered seeing Mad Harriet stepping through the portal behind Lash. Harriet was deranged and a loose cannon but she was such an agent of chaos that it was difficult to argue with her results. Still there were occasions when only Granny's entreaty kept Darkseid from obliterating her to the solar winds for her insolence. Slightly bowed in her posture, her head seemed too small for her wide eyes and with her wild, red hair flowing in the night air, she did appear a little  _mad_. Especially when she wore gauntlets that held razor sharp blades on every digit, looking like a Freddy Krueger clone.

The last of the Furies to be sent on this mission was one Grace knew only be reputation. The Swan was easily the most powerful of the three. She was a dazzling beauty that always seemed out of place among the harsh, cruel world of Granny's Orphanage. Flowing golden hair, flawless peachy skin and intense blue eyes, she stood head to head with Lash in height. Her costume was cut to accentuate her figure, even down to the wings that were attached to her back to give her flight.

Grace wondered if the Swan remembered that she was once human.

Once the portal had closed behind them, she jumped off the hood of the car and approached them. "In the name of Darkseid, I welcome you Lashina, Mad Harriet and Silver Swan," Grace greeted, head bowed in the repose of the supplicant.

"Amazing Grace," Lashina acknowledged the greeting. "You look well."

"You mean  _soft_ ," Harriet tittered derisively. " You look so pretty. Tell me, do you present to the humans with a bow tied around your waist?"

"Shut up Harriet," Lash warned, not about to tolerate Harriet's prattle since Grace was their guide on Earth. "Where is the ship now?"

"Its being moved as we speak," Grace replied, "its not far from here."

"Then we should proceed quickly," Lash declared, "In which direction?"

"Over the hill," Grace indicated westward and then added, "Please remember there are plans afoot for this planet that is still in progress. Darkseid will not be impressed if we're exposed to the humans far sooner than we should be."

"I have been made aware of this planet's importance," Lash retorted, a little offended at the implication that she did not know how crucial Earth was to Darkseid's agenda. "Swan. A quick reconnaissance if you will..."

The Swan did not respond. She was staring at the cornfields, suddenly revisited by nagging little sensations she couldn't quite discern. They were like flies buzzing around her face, she couldn't get rid of.

"Swan!" Lash snapped again and Harriet tittered that maddening laugh.

"Yes, I  _heard_  you," the Swan's head lifted sharply and retorted coldly, "Recon. I heard."

With that, her wings extended outward and with a single powerful flap and she was in the air, searching for the ship in this place that felt so familiar.

Almost like she'd been here.


	7. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight homage to Man of Steel here.

 

_The heart of Krypton is not in my chest,_

_It is not found the molten core of the world,_

_It does not beat in the way of flesh or matter_

_It pulses with a life of its own_

_It is the brightest star in the sky_

_We look up every day and give little mind_

_To its importance and its beauty_

_We know it as a thing that simply exists_

_We forget how much it gives to us_

_It is life, it is breathe it is all we will ever be_

_We are all its children, this forgotten mother_

_Forgive us errant children that we are_

_Give praise to the great heart of Krypton_

_Give praise to Rao!_

She was lying against her mother's shoulder, listening Alura reciting  _The Heart of Krypton,_  written by one of her favourite poets, Nor-E. Kara remembered falling to the sound of her voice, always smooth like silk breathing against her skin. Her mother would hold the data reader with one hand, while the other would stroke Kara's blond hair. Her father would be at his desk, as always, contemplating new ways to sustain Kandor. Even though he seemed distracted with his work, Kara knew he listened. Sometimes, he glance up from his work station and brushed the two of them with a little smile.

In the days after Krypton had been destroyed; when a piece of her had hurtled into space, held together with Zor-El's genius, they would spend most evenings here, enjoying the time they had had together, aware that it could disappear at any more. Her father never showed it but Kara knew he often worried about how Kandor would survive, that the force field in which he had build around the city and the city power network which he had devised into a makeshift propulsion system would fail.

He never showed them his concern but Kara knew it was there. Just as he was certain that her mother knew it and said nothing because it was important to her that he held the belief that they were oblivious how much their existence was balanced on a knife's edge. Kara cherished these evenings together because every surviving Kandorian child knew that they were all that was left of Krypton.

It was no surprise to Kara that she should find herself here in the dreamscape, with her mother's sweet voice in her ears, lulling her back to a gentler sleep while her father worked at his desk. His fingers moved across the console as he transcribed some new equation or algorithm design to increase the power of their reactor core, into the recording crystal. Each digit moving with a kind of grace, possessing tapered elegance. She could hear them as he made contact with the workstation keyboard.

Then without warning, the tactile dance suddenly boomed in her ear so loudly that she sat up straight , flinching at the disturbance. It was so loud! Alura turned to her to ask her what was wrong and it seemed that she was shouting at Kara, in a voice that seemed to shake the walls of the house. Kara's hand flews to her ears, trying to drone out her mother's demands to know what was wrong. Her father had stood up, pushing back on his chair. It scrapped across the floor so loudly, it felt as if someone had put a rip in the world. He was also calling her, asking her what was wrong. His footsteps towards her were like the pounding of drums until Kara couldn't look at him.

The sound was coming from everywhere! She could hear their breathing, could hear the sluggish currents of circulated air, the drone of machinery beneath her and the chatter of her friends. She couldn't make it stop! The noise grew until they clashed against each other, until she did not know one began and another ended. It was like she was trapped in a wind tunnel, with sound rushing all over her, dragging her into its depths of cacophony.

Kara screamed.

She woke up sweaty, her hands clutching her ears, trying to shut out the sounds clashing against her ear drums. The chaos had followed her out of her dreams and into the waking world. It felt like a dagger driving deeper into her brain, until she couldn't hear herself crying out. Nor could she remember where she was? What was this strange place? Where was her mother and father! Kara thought frantically. Everything about her look alien? Not at all like her room in Kandor. These thoughts raced through her mind briefly before the sound found her again and all was forgotten as she clutched her head screaming it to stop.

Kara did not notice the door bursting open only that it caused more noise. She recognised Jor-El rushing in, worry on his face. No, she thought fleetingly, not Uncle Jor, it was Kal. Her baby cousin Kal who wasn't a baby anymore. He paused and she stared at him, imploring for help when suddenly his skin was stripped away from his flesh, then the strips of muscle, one by one until she could see his heart pounding, could see the saliva moving down his throat and the blood pumping in his veins. But that too was soon gone and he was talking to her, his mouth was moving but all she could see was a skull trying to speak.

Kara recoil in fright, another terrified scream followed.

"Kara!" Clark came towards at her, shocked by the wide eyed terror he saw in her eyes.

"Get away from me!" She screamed, turning away from him, unable to bear looking at him. She pressed her body against the bed head, holding her ears while burying her face in her shoulder, trying to shield the world.

"Kara, let me help you," Clark said reaching for her.

"STOP SHOUTING!" Kara pleaded, her eyes clamped shut. "Its hurting my ears! I can...can..hear everything! And that's something wrong with you! You're all blood and bone...!"

At that Clark understood. Well that's that then, he thought as it put to rest their earlier debate about how soon Kara's powers would manifest themselves. He'd hope they'd be gradual as it had been for him but he had years to live on Earth while Kara had been here for less than a day. He'd seen other Kryptonians manage their powers but none of them was as young as she was.

"Kara, listen to me." Clark tried to speak. "Its perfectly normal. You just need to adjust, to learn how to control your powers."

When Martha and Lois entered the room, Kara turned instinctively to them and was once again assaulted with the same sensory overload. Their footsteps pounded like thunderclaps, their breath sounded like the harsh winds of a storm and when she looked to them, she saw that same grisly scene of blood and flesh. She could see their skulls and eye balls cradled in sockets and sluggish movements of digestive juices in their stomachs. It was horrible! She couldn't bear it! Turning away from them, Kara kept her eyes closed tight, not wanting to see any of it and sobbing for it to stop.

"What's wrong with her?" Lois demanded, wanting desperately to help but having no idea how to.

"Its her powers," Clark explained hastily, trying to reach for Kara only to have the girl shrink away in fear. "Her enhanced hearing and x-ray vision has kicked in. Its all coming in."

"How did you deal with it?" Lois asked, unable to bear seeing the girl so distraught.

"It didn't happen like this!" Clark exclaimed, remembering that both powers had appeared at different times and they were sporadic bursts until Clark was able to get a handle on them.

"HUSH!" Martha ordered sharply, pushing her way to the front now that she understood the nature of the problem . It was amazing how much of raising Clark came back to her. Decades later and she was now faced with another child needing her help, another child who had found them as Clark had found her and Jonathan. In some ways, it was easier with Clark, he had no memory of his parents while Kara had too many.

Conditioned to obey her without question; both Clark and Lois withdrew to give Martha room as she took charge of things. Despite his desire to help Kara because he was convinced this was something he'd be able to understand like no one else, Clark couldn't help but submit to Martha's demand as she sat next to Kara on her bed. He remembered doing the same thing when he was a little boy, afraid of something he'd been able to do that he didn't understand. Martha always had the ability to make almost anything terrible seem slight.

Clark pulled back to Lois who wrapped an arm around his waist and gave him a little wink to tell him that everything was going to be okay because sometimes, even the Man of Steel needed assurance. Being on the end of Martha Kent's mothering, Lois knew just how much of a salve it could be.

Martha slid further up the mattress so she could reach Kara. The young girl was still trying to shut out the deafening sounds in her ears and the unsettling images of those around her. Martha reached out to Kara, cupping the young girl's face in her hand and speaking in a soft whisper.

"Kara," Martha said softly. "Listen to me. Listen to  _my_  voice. You're going to be okay. We're going to take care of you. Don't think of anything else, don't listen to anything else, just concentrate on hearing me, on hearing  _my_  voice." She spoke in the same soft tones, she used when reading Clark a bed time story. "Listen to my voice, sweetheart. Its going to be okay, we're going to help you through this. You're not alone."

Kara's trembling hand reached Martha's own and nodded.

"I'm...trying..." she stuttered and the proof was in her furrowed brow as she tried to do as instructed.

"That's a good girl," Martha continued to speak holding her hand and stroking her hair as she spoke. "Keeping focussing on my voice, Kara. You are a part of our family now and we're going to take care of you. Clark...Kal, Lois and me, we're all here for you. You're not alone on Earth and you don't have to face all this by yourself. The outside world is where it is,  _outside_. Listen to what I'm saying. You're safe honey, I promise you, you're safe."

Kara concentrated, listening to the voice that sounded so kind and so much like her mother it almost hurt. She was afraid because the noise seemed so immense but she so wanted to believe the promises of Martha Kent. It made her try harder to concentrate to repay the kindness of the older woman's words. She forced everything else away except the words that told her she was safe even if Kandor was gone. She  _still_  had family and they would help her. She focused on Martha's words and in that moment of concentration, realised that if she paid mind to just  _one_  thing, the rest seemed to recede.

Martha's voice revealed that truth to her.

Clark and Lois held their breath in silence, waiting to see if Martha's advice had worked. Clark wanted to hug his mother and tell her she was the greatest mom there ever was just by how she was handling Kara. A few more minutes passed before Kara finally responded. Her eyes were still clamped shut but she seemed less agitated.

"I can hear you," she said softly. "I...can hear just you."

"I'm glad honey," Martha said with a smile and hugged her. Without speaking, Martha gestured Clark forward.

"Kara," Clark approached on his mother's request, keeping his voice was low so he didn't derail Martha's efforts by placing too much on Kara's concentration too soon. "Open your eyes slowly but don't stare. Just pretend you were just glancing at something. Do the exact opposite of what my mom just told you,  _don't_  focus."

It was easier this time, Kara realise. Once she understood the more she tried to out all the images, the more of it appeared. So she stopped trying to see and in doing so, the layers of flesh began to grow over; one by one until she was staring at Kal-El, his mother and his mate. Their faces intact and removed from the grisly visage of blood, tissue and flesh.

"I can see you," she exclaimed with gratitude. "I can see you all."

"Of course, you can honey," Martha smiled brushing a strand of blond hair out of her face. "I knew you would."

And without another word, Kara enveloped her in a hug and clung to Martha, whispering in her ear.

"Thank you," she said softly in the older woman's ear. "Thank you."

* * *

 

There was an angel at her window.

She'd never seen an angel before but she'd seen pictures and sometimes, when Mommy took her to church at Christmas time, she'd seen statues. She saw the beautiful angel floating outside her window. Climbing out of bed, she padded across the polished wooden floor silent, careful to avoid kicking the toys she'd left on the floor, certain that mommy and daddy would hear. Rubbing her eyes, she walked towards the window and tilted her head, staring at the sight beyond the glass.

Eyes widening, Laura stared at the angel floating outside her window, high above the cobblestone pave outside the house. The angel had hair so golden that it seemed almost white as it flowed in the night's breeze. She was dressed in white, like an angel be dressed with her wings spread out behind her, flapping with feathers as snow white as a doves. The angel smiled at her and drifted towards the window, placing her hands on the glass.

Laura opened the window without once considering it could be wrong because mommy said angels came from God. Daddy was oddly silent on the subject.

"Hello there little one," the angel greeted, fluttering closer to her at the window's edge. There was a smile on her lips that Laura could know was triumphant. "What's your name?"

"Laura." She replied somewhat puzzled, wondering how come the angel didn't know her name. Weren't they supposed to know all little children's names, so they could know which prayers to answer.

"Well isn't that a pretty name Laura," the angel answered. "My name is Swan."

* * *

 

In another room, Lex woke up.

Five years in prison had made him a light sleeper and his senses were now attuned for the slightest sound. When one was a billionaire locked up for murder, it was easy for the other inmates to believe he was easy prey. Lex had soon taught them that he was anything but weak however, the lesson still had to be taught to a few in the first few months of his incarceration. All of this had left Lex's ability to sleep deeply forever impaired.

In any case, Lex's inability to sleep tonight had little do with his imprisonment. It had to do with the alien ship that he and Lana had retrieved from Miller's Field. LexCorp technicians had spirited it away to a secure warehouse so that it could be studied in a control environment, as it should have been done before Dr. Groll flagrantly disregarded his orders and caused the incident that left many dead. There was no doubt in his mind that the craft had brought someone here and that Milton Fine had done everything he could to possess it.

In retrospect, his earlier assertion that this was Fine's ship needed redefinition. The logic of the situation didn't seem to hold water. Fine had the ship in his possession for years, in fact it was his sole purpose for killing Lionel and framing Lex for his murder so he could take charge of LuthorCorp. No, the ship did not belong to Fine but that conclusion bore only more questions. Where was the ship's occupant? Who was in there? Another alien threat like the ones he and Lana encountered the day of the second meteor storm?

All this was in his head when he heard something moving out side his door.

Lex was wide awake and he pushed himself onto his elbow in a second, peering over the bed head. Lana was still asleep, her dark hair covering her face until she rolled over to her other side at his sudden shift. Without wasting any time, Lex leaned over to his bedside table to retrieve the gun he had tucked in the first drawer. The gun was empty, the bullets still in their box. With a child in the house, he had to be careful.

He never had the chance to load it.

The door swung open so fast that Lex barely had time to get the shells out of the box when something stung the back of his hand with such sharp, intense pain that he dropped the weapon, causing it to clatter against the floor loudly. Lana sat upright with a start, her eyes opening just in time to register the whip that had done it. The woman holding the whip was standing at the doorway to their bedroom like an extreme version of Doris the Dominatrix. If such a thing was possible.

 _Laura! Where was Laura!_  Lana thought frantically and was about to jump out of bed when something leapt at her and landed it full weight against her chest, driving the air from her lungs and forcing her back against the mattress once more.

"LANA!" Lex screamed, overcoming his pain to reach for the woman who had pounced on Lana like an animal when suddenly the assailant stuck out her arm, forcing him to stop immediately when he felt the sharp blade of her gauntlets pressed against his throat.

"Naughty, naughty," she wagged a finger at him. "Mad Harriet's says you don't get to move until she says so." She ended the warning with a thither that became giggles.

"Get off me!" Lana growled, fully prepared to retaliate until she felt the blades of Mad Harriet's other gauntlet dig into her chest.

"Behave, sweetie." She warned, "don't make me cut up that pretty, pretty face. Maybe give you a new smile. Nice and wide...!

"STOP!" Lex demanded, not prepared to risk her life or that of his child under  _any_  circumstances. He knew that the security personnel on the estate were either compromised or unaware of their predicament yet. LexCorp had an external security team that was probably speeding towards the mansion now so he had to play for time.  _Negotiate_.

"Don't hurt her," he begged and then asked, "What is it you want?"

He met Lana's gaze, trying to assure that they were okay, that he would get them out of this even if right now, he was choking on impotent fury. Battling his anger with the rationale that these people obviously wanted something or else he and Lana would be dead already, he maintained his calm and prayed they hadn't gone to Laura's room.

"Where is the occupant of the ship?"

Lex turned his attention to the woman in the bizarre costume of full bodied leather, who stared at him and spoke with words exuding cold ruthlessness.

 _The ship_. This was about the ship. Lex blinked slowly, inwardly cursing himself because he should have known. Hadn't he gone through this already, with the Black Ship? Were these women the same as those aliens who had threatened Lana and him when they had first encountered it all those years ago. In the milliseconds that he had to answer, he considered his options. These intruders confirmed his suspicion that this wasn't Fine's ship, that someone else had emerged from that ship, not the missing Fine.

"I don't know," Lex answered hastily, giving the truth for the moment because if he lied, they would call his bluff and he wasn't gambling with Lana and Laura's life in the balance.

"Wrong answer," Mad Harriet sneered and without any warning, drove one of the blades of her gauntlet into Lana's shoulder.

Lana's scream was so sharp and sudden, it ripped through all of Lex's rational thought and defences. It seem to last forever, almost eternity as he fought back the urge to attack but was halted by the blades against his neck once more.

"Goddamn it!" He swore in fury instead. "I'm telling you the truth! The ship was empty when we found it!"

He looked at Lana writhing helplessly against the blade that was buried to the hilt in her shoulder. The crazy bitch's gauntlet was pressed against Lana's bloody skin and she was taking great pleasure in every ounce of pain etched across his wife's face. He had no doubt that it had penetrated all the way to the mattress. Lana was shuddering in pain, trying not to cry out again but Mad Harriet had other plans and twisted the blade unexpectedly, eliciting another sharp scream...

* * *

 

...that made Clark Kent's spine stiffen ramrod straight all the way at the Kent Farm.

For all of Jor-El's training, there were  _some_ things that Clark still no control over. Lana may have been a face in his past but Clark could never ignore that for most of his youth, he'd  _loved_ her. Even though Lois was the love of his life now and of that he had no doubt, Clark could never forget that Lana had been the  _first._  She had been the girl next door, the one that inspired so much passion until life had made him understand that while they might have been in love, they were never meant to last.

Clark had made peace with that the first time he kissed Lois and saw the irascible pain in the ass that she was, had evolved into something unexpected. Something that was never as hard and complicated as his love for Lana. Clark and Lois' relationship was never plagued with the turbulence that so crippled the one with Lana. However, even if he and Lana were now friends, her hold on him was still strong and she would remain one of the few people in his life to which he was always attuned.

When she screamed, it penetrated the veil of night and the distance between Lowell County, between the Mansion and the Kent farm, to reach his ears. He was in the middle of returning to bed with Lois when he heard it. It cut through the drone of background noise, he had trained himself to ignore the way he had just instructed Kara too. It made him stop short because he recognised it immediately.

"Clark what is it?" Lois demanded when she saw the sudden change in his expression and knew something dire had just happened. Since he assumed the persona of Superman, Lois knew that his hearing was focussed to pick up danger but it had taken practice to determine what needed the intervention from the Man of Steel. She could tell when he was about to fly off to answer some random call of distress but rarely had she see him affected so personally.

"I have to go," he declare and took off so quickly that Lois barely had time to blink or get any other details before the abrupt gust of wind from his rapid departure blew across her and she was alone in the hallway.

By the time Clark took to the skies, he was already wearing the costume and he couldn't deny feeling some strangeness in approaching the Luthor Mansion by air. For years, he'd become accustomed to dropping in on Lex when they'd been friends and a part of him still missed that friendship. He knew he'd recaptured something like it in his relationship with Bruce but as one got older, it was easy to see things clearly and Clark knew he'd failed Lex Luthor.

_You should have trusted me._

That was what Lex had said to him in that prison when he confronted Lex after coming out as Superman, before Brainiac had erased Krypton and him out of Lex's memory. In his youth, he'd been too frightened to believe that Lex would have his best interests in mind if his secret was revealed. However, after Lex's memory had been erased Clark wondered that if he had satisfied Lex's questions about the strange occurrences that always seemed to take place around them, perhaps the man would not have formed his own conclusions and be led down the dark park that almost destroyed him.

It was too late now, Clark decided as he saw the Luthor Mansion in sight and immediately scanned the house to locate Lana. It did not occur to him to be concerned that he didn't see Laura.

"The ship was in your possession for years!" Lashina hissed, tightening her whip around Lex's neck. "Are you telling me that it suddenly took flight and you have no idea who was in it?"

"The ship was in Milton Fine's possession and he didn't tell anyone where it was" Lex growled, trying to speak through the leather pressing against his throat. "We only located it today!"

"I think he's lying." Mad Harriet sneered and twisted the blade again, drawing another sharp cry from Lana.

"STOP IT!" Lex begged, becoming more desperate. "She doesn't know anything!"

Suddenly, a streak of red and blue moved through the room so quickly that Lex thought he'd imagined it until it paused next to Harriet.

"Get off her!" Superman's deep voice demanded and swatted the woman aside like she was nothing.

Mad Harriet uttered a banshee's screech of outrage as she was flung across the room. The sudden removal of the deep blade from Lana's shoulder made her cry out but at least the wretched thing was gone.

"This has nothing to do with you Kryptonian!" Lashina hissed.

"Terrorizing innocent people makes it my business," Clark retorted and with a blast of heat vision, severed the lash around Lex's throat in half.

Lex pulled away immediately and reacted with a roadhouse swing against Lashina that threw the woman off him.

Mad Harriet got quickly to her feet and prepared to pounce but Clark exhaled deeply and put her down with a puff of breath. She screamed in fury as she landed hard.

Lex wasted no time in hurrying over to Lana, trying to staunch the blood that was flowing freely now that Harriet's blade had been extracted.

"Oh God...it hurts," she gasped.

"Its going to be okay," Lex took her hand, crushing it in his before kissing her on the forehead. "I'm going to get you help."

Meanwhile Clark turned to the two intruders, "who are you? What do you want here?" He could tell from the look of them that neither were human, even without having to run his x-ray vision over them.

From the window, Clark heard something fluttering and he turned to the window to see Laura, in the arms of a woman, a woman with snow white wings and golden hair.

"LAURA!" Lana shouted, seeing the child squirming in the woman's arms.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Laura cried out, reaching out hands towards them.

Lex staggered to the window to retrieve his daughter but the Swan moved effortlessly out of reach. "Don't be afraid Starbuck! You're going to be okay!"

"This does not concern you Kryptonian," Lashina declared triumphantly from behind Clark. "They will give us what we want or the Swan will drop their child and watch her insides split open like a ripe fruit!"

"NO!" Lana cried out terrified, "Superman...do something!"

However, Clark wasn't listening. He was staring at the woman who was holding Laura. Despite the alien clothes she was wearing and the cruel sneer, he knew her. He knew who she was and where she'd come from, where both of these women with her had also originated.

This was Valerie,  _Valerie Beaudry_.


	8. Swan

It  _was_  her.

Even if her eyes appeared colder whilst wearing a cruel sneer that marred her lovely features and her clothes were undoubtedly alien, to say nothing about the wings attached to her back, there was no doubt in Clark Kent's mind who he was looking at. This was Valerie. Valerie Beaudry.

As the name surfaced in his mind, it brought with it the memories of that day outside Metropolis when he and Bruce had finally confronted the mysterious entities from the DeSaad Corporation. Until then, they hadn't really grasped the full measure of the enemy they were facing. Clark had thought that DeSaad was just another greedy corporation attempting to further their own profit margin by dabbling in illegal genetics. It wasn't the first time he had encountered the like.

Lex Luthor and his Section 33.1 had a similar agenda.

However, Bruce's capture by DeSaad facilitated the opportunity for Gotham's future dark knight to investigate the company first hand and he had discovered DeSaad was a front for alien intelligence with designs on a Kryptonian. It made perfects sense in retrospect. During that period, Clark had been at his most vulnerable. It was his first introduction to blue kryptonite which he learned was capable of stripping him of all his powers.

Clark had been fully prepared to live the life of a normal human; with Bruce teaching him how to defend himself without powers just to survive. Both he and Bruce had almost died during that business and it was sobering to remember that it was neither of them that brought DeSaad to its knees but rather Valerie Beaudry's sacrifice. Valerie had surrendered herself to DeSaad in an effort to save her friends and when that was not enough, had used her powerful siren scream to level DeSaad's complex to the ground.

Yet despite all that, Clark and Bruce had failed to save her.

The last time they'd seen Valerie, the alien calling himself Michael Canto had snatched Valerie and forced her into a portal leading back to his own world. There had been no time to stop, no time to reach her before they both gone. Once she had disappeared through the portal, Valerie was beyond them.

It had haunted both of them, that they'd been unable to save her. More so because they had no idea awaited her in that alien world.

 _Now_  they knew.

"Valerie," Clark used her name, hoping that it might jog her memory, remind her that they had once been friends and perhaps convince her to release Laura. The little girl was squirming in Valerie's grip, suspended the air much to the terror of both parents.

"Starbuck, it will be okay," Lex spoke to his daughter. He had grabbed Lashina's whip and had it garrotted around the woman's throat, tightening it hard enough for her to fight for breath. "Do something!" He hissed at Clark.

Clark frowned, wondering what Lex thought he was doing. In the corner of his eyes, he saw that Mad Harriet was still unconscious and he turned back to Valerie, hoping that he did not have to fight her. He hoped she could see reason because he did not know if he could attack the woman without her harming Laura or for that matter, Lex and Lana. Clark had seen firsthand what that sonic scream could do and if she unleashed it in these close confines, Lex and Lana would be as good as dead.

"Valerie," Clark repeated himself, "Valerie Beaudry."

The Swan blinked in confusion. The name, the name sounded familiar. Uncertainty took the place of cruelty and her grip on the child slackened a little. Why did it sound so familiar?

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Lashina demanded, forcing the words out through her constricted throat. "Kill him!"

"Shut up!" Lex snapped, slamming her skull against the floor. It made an ugly crack and Lashina went slack in his grip.

While he abhorred the method, Clark was grateful for the silence. He needed to reach out to Valerie without her companions sabotaging his efforts.

"Valerie, don't do this," Clark implored again. "Don't hurt her. She's a little girl, innocent and helpless like you once were!"

The Swan stared at the Kryptonian, speaking to her as if they were old friends not the enemy. She recognised the symbol that he wore, the Kryptonian shield that was his family's crest. She knew all this because the data had been made available before she came to Earth. However, as she looked at him now, there was something else, the memory that beneath the costume, there was something else, something that seemed so familiar and yet maddeningly beyond her grasp. Valerie. He called her Valerie.

 _Valerie_...it floated about in front of her, defying her to remember.

Clark saw her grip on Laura loosening further and made a quick decision. He had unbalanced her and the opening that presented itself would not remain for long. Aware of just how much damage she was capable of wreaking, Clark knew his options were limited. The priority here had to be Laura and her parents.

Speeding forward, Clark snatched Laura out of her hand and in a blink of an eye had circled back to grab Lex and Lana as well. If Valerie unleashed her powers, they would not survive it.

The loss of the child in her arms snapped ended the Swan's momentary lapse. By the time she was aware of what had happened, the Kryptonian had ferried the family out of the house

"NO!" She screamed in outrage and immediately flapped her wings to propel her forward in pursuit. However his speed was too much for her and she saw him moving across the sky in dark silhouette, quickly disappearing into the distance. Fury bubbled up inside her and she let out her deadly scream.

It escaped her like a sonic A-bomb, flattening the cornstalks in the field, sending machinery flying through the air, snapping power poles like dominos falling. Kansas was accustomed to its twisters and this was no less savage as it moved across the landscape, destroying everything in its path until exhausted.

Despite his speed, Clark caught the end edge of the sonic wave. It flung him forward like a leaf caught in a hurricane. With one arm wrapped around both Lana and her daughter, Clark's other arm kept Lex pinned against him. It was neither comfortable nor dignified but when they were hit by the sonic blast, it was all Clark could do to maintain his grip of them. The roar of wind competed with Laura's high pitch scream of terror, along with Lana's calls to her child, filled his ears. He could hear Lex's anger as he tried to reach his wife and his frustration when he couldn't.

It took Clarks a few seconds to regain control of his flight before he was able to whisk them all to the Smallville Medical Centre. Descending in the middle of the parking lot, his arrival even at this time of night, generated excitement. Clark had hoped to not be too disruptive but supposed that had been a futile hope when he saw the few staff and patients outside, catching a smoke, crying out 'Hey its Superman!' to anyone who hadn't yet seen him. An ambulance came to a screeching halt when the paramedic driving caught sight of Superman and the three people with him.

 _So much for a discreet arrival_ , Clark sighed.

Laura noticed none of this when Clark finally let her go. Already terrified by what had happened tonight, the little girl's first action upon touching the ground was to squeal for her mother.

"Mommy!" She wailed and threw her arms around Lana, who hissed in pain at the pressure against her still raw wound.

Pain was the last thing on Lana's mind as she bundled her daughter up in her arms and hugged her tight, grateful that Laura had been unhurt by their intruders. Tears of gratitude ran down her cheeks as Laura whimpered in her embrace. Glancing up as she held Laura, Lana's gaze met Clark's long enough to give him silent thanks for coming to her family's rescue. Even after all these years, Clark Kent was still coming to save her. She'd always love for him that.

Clark nodded at her with a little smile before he withdrew slightly when Lex came forward; dropping to his knees as he wrapped his arms around Lana and kissed his daughter's forehead. To him, Superman was a stranger and a possible threat but his animosity towards the man of steel evaporated for the moment. Right now, he was grateful for his family.

"Thank you," Lex said with genuine emotion.

"Do you know what they wanted?" Clark asked, suspecting he probably wouldn't get a straight answer out of Lex but needed to understand why Valerie and her companions had come after the Luthors. As far as he knew, DeSaad had been interested in mutated DNA. Lex's amoral proclivities aside, there should have been nothing about him that warranted the interest.

Hiding his reaction to the question, Lex thought quickly, as he was not about to give Superman the truth under any circumstances. When he had concocted an answer, he replied coolly, "they wanted the whereabouts of an experimental stealth fighter plane that LexCorp had crashed during a test flight tonight. I didn't get a chance to answer before they attacked Lana."

"It's true," Lana added, her voice hoarse and exhausted but supporting her husband in his life nonetheless. She had promised to keep Clark's secret safe but that did not mean betraying Lex either. In all other matters, her allegiance was with her husband. "They wanted to know where the plane was."

The plane, being the  _ship_ , Clark concluded even if Lana was backing Lex's lie. He didn't blame her of course. He knew where he'd stood with Lana where Lex was concerned years ago. In any case, he had the answers he needed.

"I wouldn't go back to the mansion if I were you," he advised Lex for better or worse. "The woman who grabbed Laura, I've encountered her before and she's extremely dangerous. I'd find someplace to hold out for a while and I'll see what I can do to send them back where they came from."

"You said her name was Valerie," Lex reminded. "She's human?"

It was telling that Lex already knew they were aliens, however Clark was not about to debate the point.

"Once but I'm not sure anymore," he admitted sadly.

Before Lex had a chance to ask another question, Clark stepped away from the family and took the air, leaving them to their own devices while he went to deal with Valerie.

* * *

 

Along with Mad Harriet, Lashina had regained consciousness by the time the Swan returned to Luthor home after losing the Kryptonian and the family. She expected Lashina to be less than happy that her lapse had allowed the Kryptonian to gain the upper hand and braced herself for the verbal abuse that would be following.

"What in Darkseid's hell were you doing?" Lashina demanded tugging her own Lashina from her throat, cursing inwardly at how much of a mess their mission had become.

The Swan's usual confidence was shaken in the aftermath of the encounter and she rubbed her brow as if she could pull the answers out of her brain if she kneaded thoroughly enough. "I don't know," she started to explain somewhat feebly. "I think he knew me..."

Lashina knew enough about the Swan to be aware of her human origins. It was probably why she'd been assigned this mission. She was the first of Darkseid's Furies to come from this wretched planet and since her recruitment, proved herself to be one of the most powerful in the elite group. Granny's training should have purged all memory of her past life from her mind but no mindwipe was ever complete or full proof.

It was just plain bad luck that the Swan's first encounter on this mud ball would be with the one person who  _knew_  her in that other life.

" _The pretty little swan with the broken little head..._ " Mad Harriet giggled; reciting those words as she bounced on the Luthor bed like it was a trampoline. The springs creaked as she jumped against it, laughing like a giddy child in her sing song voice. " _The pretty little swan with the broken little head..._ "

"Shut up!" Lashina barked at the woman, her patience fast reaching its limits but naturally Harriet wouldn't stop when she knew she was striking a nerve.

Taking out her frustration on the Swan, Lashina struck the human hard across the face to get her attention. The sharp slap was enough to make Mad Harriet stop short, staring at the two of them with her mouth agape. "Pull yourself together; we have a job to do!" Lashina snapped.

The blow had the desired effect and the Swan reacted with lightning fast reflexes, grabbing Lashina by the neck and slamming her against the bedpost, until the wood creaked and split beneath the against her body.

"Don't...do...that...again," the Swan warned icily, her face inches from Lashina.

"Then do your job Swan." Lashina returned unflustered by the action. "We need to find that ship."

* * *

 

As he flew back to the Luthor Mansion, Clark wondered if he ought to go after Valerie again. However, he only had to see destruction caused by her sonic scream to know that she was too dangerous to be allowed free reign of the Earth. Besides, there was no telling how much damage she and her companions were willing to cause to get the ship. Cornfields filled with destroyed crops, machinery lead the way back to the Luthor Estate. Live wires danced across dark streets from broken power and telephone lines. He imagined that half of Lowell County probably didn't have power.

Clark remembered just powerful Valerie had been the day she destroyed the DeSaad facility but then her power had been fuelled by rage. Valerie's lover Hank had used her worse than any human being could be manipulated. He'd turn the ugly duckling she was into the lovely creature she was now but it had come at the price of that terrible sonic cry. Their success with mutating Valerie had turned her into a lab experiment and when she had run home to her parents, DeSaad had murdered them.

What he was seeing now was not the result of rage. Now she had honed her skill and in doing so, had become a weapon that could tear anything apart if she wished.

He should have tried hard to find her, Clark lamented silently.  _They should have done something..._

Clark knew there was nothing that could have been done. He and Bruce were too out of their depth to be able to help her. Now Valerie was back and like before, they were after something Kryptonian. He hoped it was just the ship that they wanted. Bruce had explained why Canto had been trying to add Clark to the DeSaad menagerie. Canto's master believed the key to some weird alien equation could be found in his DNA.

Later when he had begun his training at the fortress, Clark had asked Jor-El about the Anti-Life Equation. Jor-El had explained it was a myth that there was an equation was capable of unlocking the ability to control every living thing in the universe. Still if this was about the equation then why did they wanted then why the ship? They needed DNA. He would have thought they would have come after him? Unless it  _wasn't_  the ship they wanted; rather its passenger. Someone who had just emerged from stasis, who was disorientated and incapable of defending themselves like he was.

Someone like  _Kara_.

The realisation shook Clark to the core and the intensity of his outrage surprise even him.

True, he had only known her a day but she was  _family_. Not some computer matrix left behind, not some clone or vessel but  _blood_. If Krypton hadn't been destroyed, she would have been his older cousin. Kara, who was so afraid, who was just coming to grips with her own power, in the hands of someone who would exploit her was more than Clark could stand. They'd already let it happen to Valerie and he would die before allowing the same to happen to Kara.

Scanning the scene ahead, it didn't take Clark long to locate Valerie. They were still there at the Mansion, all three of them. He needed to confront her alone and somewhere secluded to minimise the destruction she might cause if he couldn't make her listen. He'd pulled her off the ledge once when she'd been ready to throw her lot in with Canto and he had convinced her. If he could reach that part of her, remind her that she had left behind friends and family, perhaps this time he could save her.

Accelerating faster than either human or alien eye could register, Clark grabbed Valerie from behind, careful to ensure that she was facing away from him before he spirited her out of the room, away from her two companions. Holding her in front of him, Clark flew straight up, so the only thing in the path of her destructive scream was the blue sky above. Her wings thrashed frantically about his face in protest as they gained altitude, leaving the mansion and the ground far beneath them both in a matter of seconds.

She writhed in his grip, trying to break free but against his strength, she had no chance of escaping. When she realised this, she began hurling curses at him, howling in impotent fury because he had rendered her helpless by using the sky as a buffer against her tremendous powers.

"LET ME GO KRYPTONIAN!" She demanded furiously, her voice drowned out by the sound of the high velocity wind rushing past them.

Clark ignored her, refusing to listen until he diffused the situation a little more. Climbing towards the stratosphere, his intent was to make her listen to reason, whether or not she wished to. With the air thinning, her ability to use her sonic scream would be limited and that might give her pause enough to listen to what he had to say. Around them, the wind created a vortex of sound as Valerie's hair whipped about her like a banner of gold. Still he could also hear her shortness of breath and knew that he had accomplished what he intended.

He could not keep her at this altitude for too long and when he allowed her to face him the pallor of her skin turning purple. She was panting, trying to draw breath but conscious enough to shoot him a glare of rage.

"You...are...killing...me..." she managed to speak.

"I'm sorry Valerie," Clark apologised, genuinely regretting the lengths necessary to make her listen. "I don't want to hurt you but you need to listen to me. I'm not your enemy. I'm your friend. I don't know what they've told you but your name is Valerie Beaudry. You were born on Earth and had parents who  _loved_ you. You had friends who tried to help you. I'm sorry we couldn't stop them from taking you Valerie but you're home now. We can help you!"

"My...name...is...Swan!" She shook her head, protesting vehemently at the slightest possibility that anything was telling her could be the truth.

"No," Clark said firmly, refusing her sanctuary in that name. "That's what they called you to turn you into this...this thing you've become. You're not a killer Valerie, at least you weren't when you left Earth. You were good person, a brave person who sacrificed herself to save us all. You were our friend. Let me help you!"

She didn't want to listen to him anymore.

Not because she disbelieved him but because she  _did_. Cracks were starting to appear in the carefully constructed identity Granny had built and beneath it, she could sense the presence of this person he spoke of, this Valerie. However, the enormity of it was too much and she pulled away from him suddenly enough to take him by surprise because the next second, she was plunging through the air, miles above the ground.

"Valerie!" Clark called out as he dove down to retrieve her. He knew the wings attached to her back enabled her to fly but he had no idea how they worked and whether or not they could function 30 miles up.

The Swan looked up when he called her name and knew that he was coming for her. Taking greedy gulps of air as she continued her sharp descent, she filled her lungs and screamed. The sonic blast was weaker than normal because she was out of breath but it had the desired effect of sending him tumbling backwards. The delay would give her a few more minutes to recover from the lack of oxygen.

It was a testament to Valerie's powers that even depleted, the force of her scream had sent him barrelling through the air like he'd been caught in a hurricane. Regaining control of his flight, Clark saw Valerie had continued to herself to fall until she was now at a comfortable breathing altitude. If he approached her head on, she would probably blast him to kingdom come. However, he had to make sure that she was recovered enough to be able to get to the ground by herself and he closed in on her nonetheless.

Of course, she saw him approached and this time she was prepared. Her wings unfurled and then extended to their full span across her back with a single powerful flap. Going on the offensive, the Swan dove deeper further into the troposphere. She knew he could catch up with her faster than she could register that she was caught so she had to think of something quickly.

Then she heard it.

The low rumble of engines. Searching for its source, it didn't take the Swan long to see what it was.

The Boeing 747 with the American Airlines logo emblazoned across its fuselage was continuing on its normal route without any suspicion at the calamity about to be visited upon it. Her eyes narrowed as she saw it flying directly beneath her. With a cruel smile curling the edge of her lips, she lowered herself on to its broad spine and looked over her shoulder, waiting for the Kryptonian to catch up.

It took but a second for Clark to realise what she was about to do and there was moment, when their met that he shook his head, imploring her wordlessly not to do what intended. However, the chance to have the upper hand was too much for her and she turned away, lowering her gaze to shiny metal fuselage before delivering her killing serve.

The blast of her sonic cry halted the craft's forward momentum instantly. The power of her cry slammed into the top of the plane as if a mountain had just been dropped on its back. The force of the sharp vertical descent snapped both wings as it dropped down, the heavy turbine engines falling away in to the sky, trailing insidious dark smoke. Then the plane started to fall, plunging from a height of thirty thousand feet.

 _Jesus_ , Clark managed the horrified thought as he witnessed the destruction. His auditory senses were immediately flooded with the deluge of terrified screams from the people inside, the abject terror of knowing they were all about to die. It was at that moment Clark came to the conclusion that Valerie was gone.

All that was left was the Swan and she had squandered the last of his goodwill.

Exploding forward in desperate burst of speed that created a sonic boom behind him, Clark flew towards the plane, ignoring Valerie for the immediate problem before him. Right now, his concern was the people on the plane he needed to save before the ground turned them into another tragic airline statistic.

The plane's ruined fuselage had started to spin as it fell; causing God only knew what injuries to its occupants as it continued to fall. Clark flew beneath it, searching for the optimum point to latch on. He had to do this just right or else the elongated body would snap and if that should happen, not even Superman would be fast enough to save them all.

Wind rushing at him, Clark reached the belly of the craft and had to stop its violent rolling by digging his hands into metal and holding on for dear life. He had used his strength to carry larger things in the past but nothing that required this much delicacy. The control required was difficult even for a Kryptonian and a loud, determined grunt escaped him as he forced the craft to stop spinning without tearing it apart. The metal superstructure heaved and protested but at his command, remained intact.

When the plane was finally steady in his hands, Clark dug his fingers deep into the steel, creating a secure handhold to maintain his grip. Once he was confident that his hold was secure, he began descending slowly to the ground. The plane had sustained severe damage and he wanted to ensure that it was not subjected to further stress that would cause it to break apart completely.

As he slowly made his way to the ground, Clark noted that he was still above the skies of Smallville which meant empty fields he could set the plane down without causing too much disruption to the locals. Scanning the terrain, he noted which field had been left to grow wild and which had been cultivated for crops. He also wanted to set it down relatively close to town because he didn't have to scan the inside of the cabin to know that people were seriously hurt in there. They needed to be in reach of medical help as soon as possible.

Selecting the abandoned farm belonging to Jed McNally, Clark brought the ruined 747 to its final resting place. He looked around and saw no sign of Valerie… _no the Swan_ , he corrected himself and was grateful for that much at least. The last thing he needed to deal with when he was trying to save these people was avoiding her sonic screams. She'd receive a very different reception the next time their paths met. Clark was no fool, he'd gotten the message loud and clear.

Valerie had left the building, the Swan was in charge. He would not make that mistake again.

* * *

 

"Don't tell me the fool was trying to convince you that he was your long lost boyfriend?" Lashina snorted derisively when the Swan returned to them.

She had found the two women in Lex Luthor's office, tearing it apart for some piece of information regarding the whereabouts of the ship. With the corpses of Luthor's security team strewn about the room, the Swan concluded they had yet to find anything useful. It was time to call Grace, Swan thought although she would let Lashina make that determination herself. Lash so liked to think she was the brains of the operation.

Harriet was now tearing the leather sofa, with a rag doll tucked under her arm. Swan was certain that Harriet wasn't really motivated to find anything really. She just enjoyed the wanton destruction she was allowed to cause while  _pretending_  to search.

"Something like that," the Swan said evasively, "but I manage to give him something else to worry about." Her lips curled into a satisfied smile remembering how he had gone scurrying after the plane when she'd knocked the craft out of the sky. "Did you find anything?" She asked.

"No," Lashina answered, disgusted by their lack of progress. "We'll have Grace track down Luthor once more. Maybe if we split his little girl apart like a ripe fruit, he might be a little more willing to talk."

"Perhaps," the Swan remarked, wincing when Harriet put a fist through the television set and then pouted at them like a naughty child, "but that stupid Kryptonian in his attempts to jog my memory might have gotten more than he bargained for."

"How so?" Lashina's brow arched as she stared at the Swan who was wearing an unreadable expression on her face. "Do you remember something?"

"Yes," she nodded recalling the fragment of memory that surfaced when she had been flying over the cornfield back to the mansion. "I think he lives here, in  _this_  area." She looked about her as if she could see through walls like him. "In a yellow house with a porch and roses in the garden."

"Now that  _is_  interesting," Lashina smiled. "I wonder how many of those there are around here?"


	9. Sanctuary

After he'd set down the 747 down at the McNally Farm and left its occupants to the tender mercies of local authorities, Clark headed back to the Luthor Mansion. Despite his anger at what Valerie had done to the plane, Clark wasn't ready to write her off although he would be re-evaluating how he'd approach her. It was clear that Valerie couldn't be reasoned with but he was not the kid he'd been when they'd first met. These days, Superman had resources that Clark Kent didn't and he firmly believed that there was help to be found for Valerie.

Dr. Emil Hamilton who worked for Oliver Queen was an authority on the 'Meteor Generation' and then some. Emil often aided Clark and Oliver when they'd encountered something they couldn't understand and helped them to navigate the science of the threat involved to bring a bloodless end to many confrontations. Clark hoped that Emil would be able apply that formidable intellect to helping Valerie. However, first, he had to find her.

Arriving at the Luthor Mansion, a quick survey of the area told Clark that the trio was nowhere to be seen. With the technology at their disposal, they could be anywhere. However, he sensed they weren't gone. They wanted the ship and its occupant. Lex knew about one but not another and if he knew the billionaire at all, Lex would be spiriting Lana their child as far away from here as possible. Whatever else difference Clark had with Lex, even with the man's impaired memory, Clark did not underestimate Lex's love for Lana. He'd seen what the man was willing to do to win Lana's heart and knew with certainty that Lex would keep her and Laura safe.

Upon realising that there was nothing to be found at the Luthor Mansion, Clark returned to the farm, aware that he probably owed Lois an explanation for his abrupt departure.

Dawn had broken over the horizon when he flew back to the farm and found Lois sitting at the kitchen table, in her pyjamas watching the news, nursing a cup of coffee in her hands. After changing out of the suit into his everyday clothing, he head down the stairs, taking a moment to check on Kara and his mother. He found Martha asleep on Kara's bed, with the young girl lying against her breast fast asleep, clinging to his mother like he had as a child. Smiling to himself because he knew Kara was in good hands, Clark continued down the stairs to join Lois down stairs.

"...Flight 217...Lowell County, Kansas..." the television continued to drone when Clark reached the kitchen.

"Smallville!" Lois jumped to her feet and met him halfway with a hug. Logically, Lois knew there wasn't much that could hurt Clark but she still worried about him, especially when the news report indicated he'd been wrestling with a 747. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he smiled; enjoying her body pressed against his and took the opportunity to steal a tender kiss. "Not scratch, which is more than I can say for those poor people," he indicated the television set.

"What happened?" She asked tugging him by the hand to the table when she'd disengaged herself from his embrace.

Clark stiffened, remembering Valerie and said sedately to Lois, "Lois sit down."

His tone immediately put her on guard. "What is it?" She insisted.

Clark didn't answer immediately, getting himself a cup of coffee first before sitting down at the table. Lois sat across him and waited, her posture ramrod straight as if bracing herself for the terrible news he was about to inflict on her.

"I saw Valerie."

Lois knew immediately which Valerie.

It took a few seconds for it to sink in and then she blinked, letting a flood of images sweep over her like a tidal wave. Lois remembered the girl she had found in that diner on the edge of Metropolis six years ago. Frightened and on the run from the DeSaad Corporation who had been responsible for her formidable sonic cry, Lois had brought Valerie into their lives without realising the danger she posed to Clark. DeSaad, the corporate face of an alien power, had discovered Clark's secret and became determined to acquire a Kryptonian. Seeking to neutralise Clark for easier handling, DeSaad had stripped Clark of all his powers. Fortunately, it had only been a temporary loss but Lois had blamed herself for them ever getting that close to him.

With Bruce's help, they'd barely managed to escape the affair in one piece but despite their defeat of DeSaad, they'd failed to save Valerie. She'd been taken away into an alien dimension, beyond their reach. It was easy to forget that she'd ever existed. There had been so many things that had come and gone since those days. People had come and gone, lives that changed irrevocably and Valerie became one of those names that were forgotten with time.

"Where?"

"At the mansion," Clark explained, reading the flickers in Lois' eyes. Of all of them, it was Lois who had taken Valerie's loss the hardest. Lois had an even harder time with surrender than him. Clark was aware Lois harboured guilt at not only being unable to help Valerie but what had happened to him because of it. "She was there with two other women, aliens I'm sure. They were trying to get the location of Kara's ship."

"And Valerie?" Lois asked impatiently, "did she recognise you?"

"No," Clark shook his head, remembering the plane. "I doubt it. I tried to reach her but they were threatening Laura and Lana, I had to get them out of there."

"Oh god," her hand flew to her mouth, remembering Lana's little girl with her love of Pingu the Penguin, pink doughnuts and all things Barney. "Are they..."

"They're fine," Clark assured her, "I got to Smallville Medical but knowing Lex, he's probably got them heading out of town by now."

"Good," Lois said with relief. "What did they want with the ship?"

Clark didn't speak but his gaze shifted to the ceiling.

Lois caught on quickly. "Oh hell," she exclaimed. "We've got to get here out of here. She won't be safe."

"Valerie doesn't remember us," Clark said quickly but then he remembered Valerie's uncertainty. He couldn't be sure that he hadn't inadvertently unlocked any memories and if those memories came back, would they lead her here?

"Not just here Clark," Lois reminded. She might remember Bruce and Wayne Manor as well.

He'd intended to take Kara to the Fortress for a while but Lois reminder indicated that Bruce could be vulnerable too. While he had no doubt Batman could take care of himself but after last night's news, Bruce had a young boy under his care.

"I'll go see him," Clark said standing up, "tell my mom what's happening. I won't be long."

* * *

 

The morning had been a busy one for Bruce. All it had taken to have Dick's stay at the Manor extended was a call to the Mayor. The Wayne Foundation had granted a great many favours since his return to Gotham and this morning, Bruce had called in one of those markers. He didn't want Dick being shunted to any foster home  _one_  day after his parents' death. The call to the Mayor had been followed by a call to a friendly judge and it was done. Dick had been placed in his temporary for the time being. And if the boy wanted it, Bruce would make the situation permanent.

What surprised Bruce most about this as he sat at the table in the large kitchen at the Manor, nursing his coffee was organic this all felt to him. At no point did Bruce have any halting thoughts as to the impact this would have on his current existence. There had only been one other time that he took such a personal leap of faith against his carefully constructed lifestyle; and that was when he had met Chloe. When he'd met her, he'd just returned to Gotham, the shape of the Bat had yet to become fully realised in his thoughts. She'd smiled her breezy warm smile, shining light into his darkened soul and he was lost. Even now, with Diana, nothing could compare to how she'd made him feel, how much hers he wanted to be.

The intensity of his concern for Dick achieved that level of epiphany and he knew he'd reached some kind of watershed moment. For the first time, the road ahead was unclear because he knew that even if Dick chose to remain indefinitely, he'd have to make adjustments to his current lifestyle. As it was, he hadn't been able to review the crime scene because leaving the manor last night would have been unconscionable.

The boy had slept through the night but Bruce had checked on him, cracking the door open wide enough to hear the soft, tearful whimpers into a tear stained pillow. It kept Bruce bound to the promise he had made to be there for Dick when he was needed

"He's still asleep Master Bruce," Alfred announced when he entered the kitchen, carrying the morning paper.

"Good," Bruce nodded, "he slept through but I doubt it was a restful sleep. Let him stay in bed for as long as he needs."

Alfred nodded and went about the business of making breakfast, not bothering to ask Bruce whether he wanted it or not because it was a foregone conclusion that he did.

"I've spoken to the Mayor," Bruce said tentatively, "Dick can stay here with us for a little while longer. There's no need to rush him to foster care."

"Very good Master Bruce," Alfred returned smoothly, "and should we be investigating the neighbourhood to see where the good schools are?"

Bruce gaze lifted to meet the older man's, "very droll, Alfred."

"You know he won't be able to stay at the Circus," Bruce pointed out, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his tone. "He's a minor without any family."

"As opposed to staying at a mansion with a playboy billionaire who isn't family either," Alfred remarked.

"He  _needs_  us," Bruce retorted with defiance.

"I do not doubt that Master Bruce," Alfred broken two eggs into a mixing bowl, "but don't you think you should ask the boy what  _he_  wants before you start knitting things?"

Bruce scowled at Alfred.

He supposed that he was getting ahead of himself. He was rarely impulsive and almost never led with his heart and yet Bruce recognised that his emotions were somewhat clouded in this instance. He could be singularly minded when he set his mind to a purpose and it was certainly the case where Dick Grayson was concerned. However, Bruce couldn't help himself. He saw the anguish in Dick's eyes that was so much like his own wounds that night. Bruce wanted to protect the boy, wanted to spare Dick the pain he knew coming. However, Alfred was right.

He had to let Dick decide for himself whether he wanted Bruce's help.

Letting his gaze stray towards the large double hung window that presented a picturesque view of the forested west of the estate, Bruce saw the leafy canopy shudder abruptly. Startled birds erupted from the trees, escaping into the sky with their wings flapping frantically as if something had suddenly appeared to give them cause to flee. Eyes narrowing, Bruce straightened up and waited.

It took less than ten seconds before the doorbell to the Manor's front doors was buzzing shrilly through the kitchen.

Like the birds, the ringing of the doorbell took Alfred by surprise. The manor had a security system in place equal to none that ensured that no one could simply waltz to the front door and ring the bell without warning. Bruce had installed the safeguards to ensure that no one could approach the gates without notice. The butler tore his attention away from the eggs he was preparing to stare at Bruce, puzzled by his lack of concern by this breach.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred finally asked.

"You better make an extra omelette," Bruce said knowingly, "We're having company."

Twenty minutes later, Clark and Bruce were shrouded in the dim light of the cave, enjoying the breakfast of omelettes which Alfred had insisted the new arrival partake. They'd move down to the cave because Bruce suspected that Clark's visit was not social and with Dick in the house, any conversation related to their activities as Superman and Batman needed to be handled discreetly.

"And you're sure its Valerie?" Bruce asked once Clark had updated him on what was happening in Smallville. Clark left nothing out, from the appearance of the Kryptonian ship and the young girl in it, to the attack at the Luthor Mansion and finally the revelation that Valerie Beaudry had come home.

"It's  _her_ ," Clark said firmly, his jaw taut with certainty, "Right down to the sonic cry. Except now, it's stronger and more disciplined. She's had training."

"She was under their influence for six years," Bruce remarked frowning because even after all this time, who 'they' were, was still a mystery. "Michael Canto did say she was being taken somewhere she would be appreciated. I guess we now know how."

"She's a weapon who doesn't remember who she is," Clark declared, still stunned that she had been willing to bring down a plane to avoid him rekindling those memories. "And she's terrified of finding out. She was willing to kill all those people just to get away from me."

"We have no idea what kind of conditioning she was subjected to," Bruce reminded not about to condemn Valerie though he filed away her actions for consideration later. He remembered what he'd seen at DeSaad's laboratories years ago, the mutated bodies encased in tanks for Michael Canto's master to have his answer to the Anti-Life Equation. "She might not be able to help her response."

"I know," Clark admitted that begrudgingly, "but now I'm afraid that if I have awakened  _some_  of her memories and not all of them, she could remember the farm in Smallville and this place," he swept a quick glance at the cave and the manor above it. "Bruce you could be vulnerable."

"I'll keep that in mind," Bruce said unconcerned at present, "it's the girl you need to worry about. You know what Canto wanted. If they can't use you, they will try to get to her."

"I know," Clark nodded having come to the same conclusion earlier, "I thought I'd warn you and then get back to Smallville. We'll keep her at the fortress for a while. I don't think she's in any state to deal with the big city at the moment."

"Clark, is that the best place for her right now?" Bruce asked. Dick's situation had parallels with Clark's cousin Kara. Both had lost their families in an instant and were dealing with the shock of that.

"I don't have a choice," Clark sighed, unhappy about the idea himself. "Her powers are still manifesting. She could do a lot of damage if she doesn't get it under control. I need the freedom and the privacy to show her how."

Bruce considered the situation and found that turning his intellect to Clark's problem allowed him to take his mind off Dick and what came next with the boy. He understood Clark's frustration. His best friend wanted to help Kara's transition to life on Earth by giving her some stability around people who would care and support her. Unfortunately the knowledge of the ship's existence and arrival of Valerie with her alien companions meant Kara was in real danger of discovery. She needed to be somewhere safe so he and Clark could deal with this situation. It had to be somewhere completely unassailable, isolated and yet not cold like the fortress or dank like the cave. Somewhere she could restore her wounded spirit…

"Themiscyra," it rolled off the tip of his tongue before he had even completed the thought. "You send her to Themiscyra."

Clark was in mid swallow when Bruce spoke and he stopped short, taken back by the suggestion.  
His first instinct was to say no but then he thought about it seriously.

The Amazons had managed to stay hidden from the Patriarch's World for three thousand years. It was safe to say they could conceal Kara for a few weeks until the danger had passed. His concern, however, was about leaving her alone with strangers so soon after arriving on Earth. Other than Martha and Lois, Kara knew no one else. Then it occurred to him that Martha could probably go with her and wondered if Diana would feel about that. His instincts told him that Diana would not have issue with it but still it was an imposition.

"I couldn't ask Diana to do that," Clark replied even if his refusal was somewhat half-hearted and Bruce would probably spot it. "Besides she's not even in the country is she?"

"I'll ask her," Bruce said. "She's given me a way to contact her."

"Well I guess you would," Clark said after a moment. "Being your girlfriend, I guess she would give you her phone number." He couldn't help but tease Bruce a little, aware of how uncomfortable the man was about admitting he was in a relationship.

"Very funny," the Batman said making a face at him. "Do want my help?" Bruce grumbled.

"Okay, okay," Clark chuckled and then sobered up when he recalled Kara wasn't the only one in danger here. "How is the boy, Dick?" Clark had seen the news and understood immediately why Bruce had stepped in to help young Dick Grayson.

"Yes," Bruce nodded and then added quietly, "Broken, just broken."

"You've done a good thing Bruce," Clark offered kindly, "you can help him."

 _And maybe_ , Clark thought silently,  _he can help you too_.

* * *

 

The prospect of spending a few weeks away at an isolated Amazonian island while intriguing, did not immediately appeal to Martha Kent. She'd just gotten back to the farm after years away and was looking forward to spending some time here before being spirited away to parts unknown. Of course, she understood the situation. The appearance of an old enemy who could find their way to the farm and put Kara in danger was nothing to take lightly so she understood they had to leave until Clark resolved the situation. Still, she wished it were otherwise.

Martha had slept in which was unusual for her since she was accustomed to getting up early after spending years as a farmer's wife. Even the time in Washington had not altered this habit. However, last night was not the norm. She'd spent of the night holding Kara, letting the girl cling to her like a child, crying herself to sleep. Martha had drifted off herself, stroking Kara's hair, trying to soothe the troubles out of Kara's anxious psyche.

 _The poor thing had good reason to fear_ , Martha thought. The girl had so many obstacles ahead of her; a new life on an alien planet, powers that had only just begun to awakened and of course, the prospect of living a double life the same as Clark. All this coupled with the still raw loss of her family and her people, it was no wonder Kara was still so fragile. Martha wanted to protect her from all that and keep her safe.

Packing a small bag, Lois had told her that packing for Themiscyra was like taking a trip to the tropics. Lois was one of the few reporters who were allowed to go to the island when the Amazons first revealed themselves to the world and she assured Martha that it was the safest place Kara could be. While Martha had never met Diana or 'Wonder Woman' as the press had labelled the Princess, she knew that Clark trusted her implicitly and so Martha did as well.

Kara was still asleep and Martha knew she'd have to wake the girl up soon. Martha wanted her to sleep as much as possible. She knew she had grown attached to the child but she couldn't help it, Martha had always wanted a house full of children. While Fate had denied her that, she saw no reason to complain. Clark was her son in every way that mattered and it had taken all of hers and Jonathan's energy to raise him. Perhaps it was even for the best that he was an only child. Still, Martha had still sometimes fantasied about having a daughter, a girl with Jonathan's blond hair and even though he wasn't hers biologically, Clark's blue eyes.

Fate had a very odd sense of humour as it appeared she might have been granted that very same wish.

"Mrs Kent," Lois tapped lightly on the doorframe to her bedroom before peering in, "do you want me to wake Kara?" Lois asked.

"You better let me," Martha answered, finding it amusing that even now, Lois called her Mrs Kent. "She'll need some more clothes. Did Clark say when he'd be coming to get us?" Martha asked, wondering if there was time to go into town and do some shopping.

"I'm not sure," Lois replied, "he said Bruce was getting in touch with Diana and that it could take a little time. Still, I think you'd have time if you want to run to town and get her some things…like underwear and stuff. The Amazons are big on togas but not that much on lingerie." Lois said making a face.

"I think I might do that," Martha laughed, "you don't mind babysitting for a bit?"

"Sure, I'll put on MTV and get her started on being a  _real_  American teenager." The reporter said with her usual flippancy.

"Oh God no," Martha exclaimed, an expression of mock horror on her face as Lois joined her laughter.

However, the moment was cut short by the sudden shattering of glass downstairs.

"What the hell?" Lois exchanged a quick glance with Martha before she was hurrying down the hall.

Lois had no sooner made it half way down the stairs when she saw the front door swung wide open, the fragments on the floor revealed how intruders had smashed through a glass pane to gain entry. Slowing her pace, she rounded the corner to stop short at sight of a woman standing in the middle of the living room, surveying the place. Lois didn't need Clark's description to know who it was. She knew right of way who she was looking at.

"Valerie!" Lois exclaimed and the Swan turned to her sharply.

Despite the danger that Clark had warned her off, Lois' first impulse upon seeing Valerie was to throw her arms around the woman and hug her. "Valerie, it's so good to see you."

"ENOUGH!" This loud bark came from behind her and suddenly Lois heard the cracking sound of a whip, coiling around her neck and yanking her backwards sharply, away from Valerie.

The Swan shook off her discomfiture at the warm greeting given to her by this stranger who seemed genuinely happy to see her. In fact the only emotion that she was comfortable with right now, was the knowledge that she had led them to the right place. With Grace's help, they'd been able to use their technology to conduct a rapid search of the area, in particular the dwellings. When the Swan saw the yellow farmhouse and the landscape surrounding it, she knew immediately that this was where the Kryptonian lived.

Determined that there would be no further lapses from the Swan, Lashina acted quickly, pulling back the whip and hurling the female towards a sideboard. Her impact against it was hard and she brought down all the shelves and its contents upon her when she landed against the floor. Objects shattered and shelves clattered over her body. Mad Harriet wasted no time, jumping on her in her disorientated state.

Lois saw stars and looked up to see feral looking woman astride her, her hands brandishing sharp blades along every finger, preparing to strike. She could feel the sticky warmth of blood running down her temple.

"Mad Harriet says you don't talk to the Swan," the woman warned with a vicious sneer on her face.

Forcing away her disorientation by several hasty blinks, Lois' hand sought for a weapon while she responded to her attacker. "Does Freddy Krueger know Mad Harriet stole his look?" Lois hissed before smashing a carved book end into the side of Harriet's face and then twisted sharply to throw the woman off her.

Rolling onto her feet, Lois prepared for a fight and heard another snap of the whip. This time, it hit her across the arm and she uttered a cry of pain, feeling flesh tear. Blood soiled the sleeve of her shirt as Lashina tore open the fleshy part of her upper arm.

"While I always enjoy seeing Harriet get beaten by the locals, I'm afraid I can't indulge you," Lashina retorted, drawing her arm back to strike Lois again when suddenly she was thrown forward by the powerful blast of a shotgun.

Lashina hit the floor, face first in front of Lois' feet, her back smoking as Martha stood behind her, gun in hand. While her body armour had protected Lashina from the worst of the blast, the impact from the double barrelled weapon was still formidable enough to drive the female Fury to her knees.

"Lois, are you alright?" Martha asked, lowering the weapon as she saw the blood on Lois' arm.

However, no sooner than she had asked the question, Mad Harriet, recovered from Lois' attack, launched herself at Martha. She slammed into Martha, forcing the gun to fall away from her hand and gave her no quarter she struck hard and fast, her sharp blades slashing across Martha's chest. Blood splattered across the floor as Lois gaped in horror as grievous wounds were inflicted on Martha.

"MARTHA!" Lois nearly screamed and scrambled forward only to be halted abruptly when Lashina sprang to her feet. The warrior threw a powerful forward kick at the approaching human that landed square in the middle of Lois' stomach, throwing her back again.

"SWAN!" Lashina ordered, "Check the house! See who else is here!"

The Swan nodded, once again finding herself at a disadvantage because the inside of the house was also opening up doors within her mind. The images were coming faster now, almost everything seemed familiar and yet the emotional connection to the person named Valerie was elusive. Leaving the Lashina and Mad Harriet to deal with the two women in the living room, the Swan ignored the one called Lois and started towards the stairs when she heard the footsteps of someone running down it instead.

"What's happening?" Kara demanded as she came down to investigate the commotion.

"Now who is this?" Lashina asked looking at the girl and saw the woman beneath Harriet display nothing less than panic. "Do you recognise her Swan?"

"No," the Swan shook her head. The place and even the woman who hugged her was familiar but not this child. This girl was a stranger to her in every sense of the word.

Martha could feel her flesh stinging with agony and the smell of her own blood made her want to gag but nothing terrified her more than the idea of these monsters getting their hands on Kara.

"KARA RUN!" Martha managed to scream and prompted Mad Harriet into slashing at her again. More blood splattered across Mad Harriet's armour.

"NO! MRS KENT!" Kara screamed in horror and ran towards Martha instead of fleeing as ordered. "PLEASE DON'T HURT HER!" Kara cried pushing past the Swan and skidding to the floor next to Martha, squealing further upon seeing the crisscrossed wounds across the older woman's torso.

The fury inside Kara was beyond description. All she could think of was that Martha was kind to her, had made the awful noise go away by telling her she was family, that's she'd never be alone. Martha who held her last night like Alura had held her when she was scared. Seeing Martha hurt like this brought up a rage in Kara that she had known before. She turn her enraged glare at the person who had done this to Martha and knew only that she wanted them to pay.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Kara bellowed and then her fury became something no one expected.

Lois was struggling to get up when she saw Kara's heat vision manifest itself for the first time. Two beams of crimson energy poured out of the girl's eyes and struck Mad Harriet in the sternum, flinging her off Martha's like she was fly. Harriet uttered a screeching cry as she hit the polished floorboards, the front of her armour burning. Harriet continued to scream as she rolled on the floor, frantically trying to beat out off the flames.

With a flash of realisation, Lashina exclaimed with excitement and triumph, "The girl's Kryptonian! Darkseid will want her!"

"No!" Lois jumped on Lashina's back, knowing what this revelation meant. Taking advantage of Lashina's distraction at the prospect of taking Kara as her prize, she wrapped her arms around Lashina's head in an arm lock and shouted at Kara, "RUN KARA! RUN!"

Kara was screaming too because she knew something was coming out of her eyes but had no idea how to stop it. The beams of energy were cutting through everything in sight, burning a trail across the walls. "What's happening?" She screamed out hysterically. "I can't stop it!"

"I'll stop it child," the Swan retorted, producing the seldom used laser weapon from her belt and firing it at the terrified girl. It struck Kara at point blank rage with enough power to stun the girl. The Kryptonian teenager spasmed violently, the shock of the energy blast disrupting her heat vision. She was still shaking, spidery webs of energy moving across her body when the Swan moved in to claim her.

"No!" Martha cried out in anguish despite her pain. "Don't do this, she's just a baby!"

"Everyone was a baby," the Swan said coldly, "and then we grow up."

"Not today," a new voice spoke and the Swan felt a hand clamping hard over her shoulder.

She was spun around just in time for a fist to connect with her jaw. The power of it lifted the Swan off her feet, sending her through the air, then the wall and out of the Kent house.

"Another one to join the party!" Mad Harriet declared in that insane voice of hers and sprung towards the new arrival, having extinguished the flames to her armour. She did not have the chance to make contact as she was swatted out of the house through a window, with one powerful backhanded blow. Harriet flew past Martha's rose bushes and crashed out of sight in the distance.

"Diana!" Lois exclaimed, letting go of Lashina to run to Martha and Kara's side. "Thank God you're here."

Diana did not speak, offering Lois a nod of acknowledgement because she was still in her mind, engaged in battle. Her jaw tightened at the harm brought to Kal's mother and she cursed that she had not have arrived sooner. When Bruce had contacted her at Themiscyra, Diana had used the Sandals of Hermes to make the crossing into the Patriarch's World understanding that the matter was urgent. Upon arriving here and discovering what was unfolding, she realised that she had come just in time to prevent further disaster.

Glaring at the remaining adversary, Diana spoke through clench teeth, "You will answer for what you have done here." Diana strode towards Lashina, ready for combat.

Lashina knew this was the time to make a strategic withdrawal.

She did not know who this new arrival was but she was convinced that if this warrior was an ally of the Kryptonian and she was here, then he would not be far behind. Lashina was unashamed to admit she stood no chance against either of them. Activating the teleportation device on her belt, she returned Diana's icy stare with a look of defiance.

"This is not over, the girl  _will_   belong to Darkseid."

And with that, she vanished.


	10. Promises

 

"Oh my God, Mrs. Kent!" Lois cried out frantically once the realization that their attackers had fled settled into her brain. Rushing towards Martha. Lois clambered over the wreckage left behind in the aftermath of their encounter with Valerie and her murderous companions. The sight of Martha lying there on the floor of the Kent home, her blood seeping into the floor from the multiple slashes inflicted upon her by Mad Harriet ratcheted her growing panic up another notch.

Around them, the effect of Kara's heat vision had left crisscrossing trails of fire across the walls of the Kent home. The house was filling up with smoke as the fires ignited ruined furniture and other flammable debris. The curtains were ablaze and the flames had spread across the ceiling, peeling paint and shattering light fixtures.

"We've got to get them out of here!" Lois stated the obvious as she skidded to her knees next to Martha.

"I'll see to the child," Diana replied calmly, already striding towards the young blond girl who was lying on the floor where she'd fallen. Kara did not appear conscious but she continued to twitch from the effects of the energy weapon Valerie had used to try and subdue her.

 _Why she's still a child_ , Diana thought, looking at the young face streaked with tears and dirt. The girl's state provoked Diana's sense of outrage, exacerbated by the fact that this violence was inflicted upon the child by other  _women_. It seems that the females of the Patriarch's World were just as capable of ruthless behavior as their male counterparts. Examining Kara's condition, Diana frowned at the girl's erratic pulse.

"She needs help immediately," Diana declared. Her gaze swept across the burning house and she knew they were was little time to waste. The fire was intensifying and while she and Kara could probably survive the heat, Lois and Kal's mother would not. They had to leave. "Lois, you must leave this house I will attend to Kara and Mrs. Kent."

Lois wanted to protest but Diana was right. The Amazon could pick both of them with one hand and then some. Diana was already striding forward, having hoisted Kara over her shoulder, ready to collect Martha as well. Lois glanced at the older woman, struggling to maintain her composure. Martha was the closest thing Lois had to a mother in her life, not since her own had passed away when she was little girl. The place she occupied in Lois' heart was almost as important as the one Clark held. Lois couldn't bear to lose Martha, not this way.

"Mrs. Kent," she spoke, trying not to break down at the woman's grey pallor or the sight of all that blood. "We're going to get you help. You're going to be okay. I promise."

Perhaps it was the desperation in Lois' voice that lured Martha back from the fugue of pain and disorientation that had her in its grip. Turning towards Lois, lucidity allowed Martha to ride the fear for her two girls back to consciousness.

"Kara!" Martha exclaimed with a gasp which then subsided into a groan because awareness brought with it the full sensation of pain. "Where's Kara?"

"She is safe Mrs. Kent," Diana assured the injured woman. Gesturing to Lois to step aside, Diana bent her knees long enough to sweep Martha off the floor with her free arm before straightening up again. The fire around them was gaining ferocity and Diana knew they had to leave before smoke and heat harmed the two mortals in her charge. These were the most important people in Kal's life and Diana would die before seeing them further endangered.

"Lois, we  _must_  go." She insisted.

Lois nodded, aware of the same urgency. Turning away reluctantly, she made her way across the floor, skipping over flaming pieces of debris, trying to ignore the anguish of seeing the Kent home burn in this way. She caught a lung full of smoke as she approached the front door and coughed as she opened the door to step outside. Smoke was filling up the house and the flames had spread across the roof and along the staircase.

Lois' eyes stung as she clutched the arm that Lashina had injured with the lash from her whip. Her arm felt useless with pain as she winced having to let go of it to open the door. Stumbling through the doorway, Lois was only a few steps ahead of Diana when she felt the familiar gust of wind across her face that immediately compelled her to search the sky.

Clark landed in the middle of the walkway leading to the front door. His expression darkened with worry as he scanned the inside of the house and saw was transpiring within it. Without thinking twice, he raced forward, his super speed making him invisible to the naked eye. He zoomed through the house with such speed that the wake from the acceleration was so fierce it started blowing out some of the flames. What was not snuffed by this action was extinguished when he exhaled a lungful of super cool breath over the fire. In seconds, the fire was but all gone and Clark let out a sigh of relief to see that the damage from the flames at least, was superficial. He could fix that.

However, it was the damage to his mother gripped him with fear the most.

In less time than it had taken for Diana to reach the safety of the garden where she had set Martha down on a patch of grass, Clark was at their side surrounded by his mother's yellow roses. He'd dealt with the house on instinct but now that he had time to properly take in the situation, the fear that had been held in abeyance by need for immediate action against the fire, exerted itself to full effect.

Lois saw the panic on his face as he realized the extent of Martha's injuries and then hers. She closed the gap between them in two clumsy steps before throwing her arms around him, trying to assure him that she was fine at least and to feel his arms around her too. She needed to tell him that to tell her that everything was going to be alright. Clark was the one person she didn't feel she need to be strong for because, he could hold his own and often reciprocated.

"Lois," he kissed her mouth and then pulled back to examine his injury. "You're hurt..." he said, his brow wrinkling with concern.

"I'm fine," she assured him, "but your mom..." Lois could finish.

Mom. His stomach hollowed as he brushed past her, dropping down the ground where Diana had set Martha and Kara. "Mom!" he gasped, seeing the blood, seeing nothing  _but_  the blood. Suddenly, he was a little boy again, terrified for her during those moments when he'd advertently done something with his powers that he hadn't intended.

"She needs care immediately Kal," Diana explained as she examined Martha's injuries with an experienced eye and then glanced at Lois. "They both do. The little one," she indicated Kara, "is merely stunned. I do not believe she's permanently damaged."

"I'll get her to a hospital," Clark declared, preparing to take Martha so that he could fly her to Smallville Medical Centre. Like Lois, all he could see was the blood.

"Clark you can't," Lois said grabbing his arm, thinking far more rationally than he at the moment.

"What do you mean I can't?" he turned to her sharply.

"Clark, it's not going to take people to figure out your relationship if you take her there," Lois pointed out. "Think it through Smallville."

He opened his mouth to protest but then shut it because he knew she was right. How many times had Martha and her son appeared at Smallville Medical Centre over the years for one calamity or another? While Superman remained a Metropolis fixture with no connection to this community, no one would connect him to Martha Kent of Smallville. However, if he were to bring Martha to the hospital, it wouldn't be hard for someone to make the leap that Superman possessed more than a passing resemblance to Martha's handsome son Clark.

 _Someone like Lex_ , he thought bitterly.

"Let me take your mother and the child to Themiscyra Kal," Diana spoke up offering an alternative upon seeing Kal's fear. Once again she was reminded of what Bruce had once said of the Kryptonian, that for all his powers Kal's greatest weakness was his heart. It was a trait she rather loved him for. "With the sandals of Hermes I can make a journey quickly and while your mother heals, she and Kara will have nothing to fear from your enemies. It will give you the time to deal with them."

"But..." Clark started to say, torn between his sense of duty to his family and the truth of Diana's words.

"Smallville," Lois put her hand on his cheek to make him look at her. "You know Diana is right about this. No one can get to your mom or Kara on Themiscyra and we need to deal with Valerie. Clark, as long as she knows your secret, we're all in trouble."

Clark blinked, his jaw tightening as he made the decision, seeing Martha lying there, all bloody and wounded. He knelt down and took his mother's hand in his, lifting the bruised knuckle to his lip and planting a soft, tender kiss. He felt Lois' hand on his shoulder.

"Mom..." he spoke quietly, hating the fact that he had to leave her to someone else, even if that someone was Diana. "Diana is going to take care of you and Kara. I'll make it safe for both of you to come home soon, I promise."

Even though she seemed out of it, Martha managed to open her eyes and look her son in his, "I know you will sweetheart." Her voice was soft and strained but it still bore that tender edge that had the power to make any terrible thing seem distant. "I believe in you."

And just like when he was a kid, when Martha said it, he believed it. She had taught him to soar long before he realized he could fly.

"Take care of them," Clark said choking with emotion, " _please_."

"You have my word that they will be well cared for," Diana replied kindly, understanding how hard this was for Kal. "Tell Bruce I will return as soon as I can."

"I will," Clark nodded and watched as Diana launched herself off the ground into the Kansas sky. He and Lois watched until there was nothing left to see before he turned to her and swept her up in his arms.

"Let's get you taken care of Lane," Clark replied, kissing her on the forehead before he took the skies.

If he couldn't be there for Martha and Kara, he could be there for Lois.

* * *

The moon was high in the night sky and the glow of it illuminated the drainpipe that ran from the top of the wall, alongside of his window and then all the way to the ground below. It looked not much thicker than the poles he used to shimmy up and down at the circus and beneath his window there was grass, not hard saw dust if he fell. Of course, he didn't think he'd fall. In fact, he know he wouldn't. Heights didn't scare him and he really needed to take a chance.

Mr. Wayne and Mr. Alfred were awful nice. Mr. Alfred made great hot cocoa and Mr. Wayne spoke to him without sounding like all the grownups who kept saying they knew what he was feeling when Dick knew for a fact that they didn't. They  _couldn't_. How could they know unless they had watched their mom and die the way he had. At bedtime, he waited until Mr. Wayne had said goodnight and left the room before he'd climbed out of the covers again. Mr. Wayne had left the small bedside lamp on, something Dick was grateful for because he was unaccustomed to sleeping in the dark. The light from the campervan he shared with his mom and dad often spilled into the space that passed for his room after bedtime.

He'd gotten dressed as quietly as an eight year old boy could manage, shedding a few short tears when he tried to tie his sneakers and realized he normally had his mom's help with this little task. He wore his favorite red sweatshirt, the one with the hood that his dad said made him look like Robin Hood.

Once dressed, Dick went to unlatched the clasp that sealed the window and climbed onto the sill. He stood at the edge for a moment, taking in the distance from the window to the drainpipe he intended to reach. The distance was one he had easily traversed before. Taking a few steps along the narrow ledge, his small feet made a short running start before launching himself off the masonry into the air.

Dick latched onto the drainpipe with ease and once his grip was secured, shimmied down the length of the aluminum until he reached the grass beneath his window. Once there, he swept his gaze across the ground and felt a pang of guilt at running off like this. Mr. Wayne and Mr. Alfred were really nice and they'd given him a home away from all the noise of the photographers and foster care. However, Dick needed to go back to the circus, he needed to see where it happened and understand why his mom and dad were dead.

For the last two days, it was all he could think of. Why they'd fallen. They never fell. Not even in practice. Something had gone wrong but his young mind could not conceive of what that could be. All he knew as he had to see where they'd fallen and maybe, maybe he could make sense of it. Driven by that singular need, Dick Grayson found himself walking across the grounds of Wayne Manor, heading towards the main highway. It didn't occur to him in the slightest that he was a little kid wandering about a night, intending to hitch a ride into town.

It never occurred to him that his escape hadn't gone unnoticed.

* * *

Bruce had seen him go of course.

The grounds of Wayne Manor were under constant surveillance from the cave and Bruce had been debating whether or not Batman would make his way into Gotham tonight when he saw Dick sneaking away into the night. Until that moment, it didn't feel right to Bruce to simply leave while Dick was here in case he was needed during the course of the night. The child's emotional wounds were still raw and Bruce wanted to be there for him the way that Alfred had been. There was also the little matter of Valerie Beaudry's resurgence to keep in mind. However, all that changed when he saw Dick moving across the CCTV screen.

It required no clairvoyance for Bruce to know where Dick was going. In his place, Bruce would be doing the same thing. Getting into costume, he followed the child at a discreet distance in the car in stealth mode. Even while he was considering whether or not he should retrieve Dick who was a minor wandering about after dark, he found himself admiring the child's nerve. The boy had crossed the expansive grounds of the Wayne estate, made his way to the main road where he walked until a passing truck gave him a ride into town. He'd done all this with no hesitation or fear. He was courageous to the point of recklessness.

Bruce kept the vehicle in sight at all times and wasn't surprised when he saw the eighteen wheeler letting the boy off a block away from the showground where Haly's Circus was located. Leaving the car in a nearby alley, Bruce made his way there. He knew that the police investigation was keeping the circus in Gotham but there would be no further performances after the last one had ended so badly. Like most circuses, its performers had become family and the tragic loss of John and Mary Grayson had left them in a state of shock and mourning.

How different it was, Bruce thought as he approached the big top. Two nights ago, this was a place of laughter, wonder and excitement. It had been a jewel under a canopy of stars with performers, visitors, celebrities enjoying the carnival atmosphere together. Now the place was bathed in the indigo light of mourning. Gone were the crowds and the colorful tents with their sideshow acts. No shooting galleries, ring tosses or fortune tellers to tempt the punters. The air was crisp and cold, devoid of the aroma of buttered popcorn, roasting peanuts and candy floss.

In the near distance, he could see the faint lights emanating through the windows of campervans belonging to circus folk. In a few days, they'd be moving on to another town, trying to overcome their losses after Gotham. It was unlikely Dick would be going with them. Even if Bruce wasn't planning on opening his home to the boy, he doubted any judge would allow Dick to remain with the circus without family.

It was bad enough the boy had lost his parents, he was also going to lose the only world he'd ever known.

* * *

To ensure the scene was not contaminated, the sawdust covered ground where his parents had landed after their fall was sectioned off by yellow police tape. Two police flags, left behind by crime scene technicians, marked the spot where the bodies had been. Not that he needed the flags to know that. Dick found himself turning away from the sight of dry blood that was now a brown stain. More than his youthful mind could cope with, he looked up instead to the trapeze board where he and his parents were perched only days before. The board had a second home to him and without John and Mary, Dick knew he'd never wanted to go up there again.

Only one flybar was remained suspended from the ropes and wires that supported their act and it took a moment for Dick to realize that the second one wasn't there because it had broken when mom and dad had fallen. The police probably had it now, wrapped up in plastic in some evidence locker, like in CSI, he thought. He studied the apparatus that had made up their act, the trapeze board, the flybar, the ropes and wires, trying to understand how it could happened. Mom and dad were so careful, they had taught him to always check the equipment because their lives depended on it.

He needed to know how it had happened because the performance that night was important, his dad had said so. John Grayson simply would not have been so careless on such an important show. Rolling the question around his head, Dick found no answers. The frustration made him exhale loudly, disintegrating into a sob as he sank to the sawdust in the middle of the centre ring. Fresh tears came as the young boy sat there in the dim light, seemingly alone in despair.

"You shouldn't be here." A voice startled him by suddenly speaking.

Dick sprang to his feet in fright, wiping his eyes hastily as he swung around to face the intruder in his private moment of grief. He expected it to be a policeman or one of the circus folk but what stood in front of him was neither and robbed Dick of all speech.

Even as he stood in the shadows, Dick saw powerfully broad shoulders that held a dark sweeping cape pooling around the man's feet. Where the cape ended at the man's neck was a mask and cowl that covered his face, leaving only his jaw and mouth visible. Pointed ears stood above the cowl and with a flash of insight, Dick suddenly realized who he was talking to.

Batman! This was Batman! Dick had read the comic books and had even seen an artist's rendering of the hero in the newspaper since no photographer had managed to snap a picture of the crime fighter. It was him and while the picture had looked scary and inhuman, the man in front of him didn't look scary but rather awesome in his dark costume.

"You're him?" Dick managed to stutter. "You're...you're Batman?" He declared a little excited despite the tragedy he had suffered.

Bruce answered with a slight nod, his lips curling a little at the expression of awe and wonder. He so rarely unveiled himself to people and even more infrequently to children. Unlike Clark, he didn't play well to the public and preferred the shadows to carry out his crusade. The people he did reveal himself to, probably wished he hadn't.

"It's late, you shouldn't be here." Bruce repeated himself, though his voice was lacking the usual intimidation he used to address criminals. It still wasn't Bruce Wayne's voice though.

Dick shifted uncomfortably, his eyes showing his childish guilt at being caught when they couldn't hold the Batman's gaze. "My mom and dad...they fell from up there." He said instead, trying to explain as he glanced at the traitorous trapeze board.

"I know," Bruce said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"They never fall," Dick returned, staring down as he ground one foot in the sawdust. "My dad would make sure it was safe, he wouldn't let us do the show if it wasn't." Dick insisted, uncertain if he was trying to convince Batman or himself.

Beneath the mask, Bruce considered his next words carefully. The boy looked so fragile and it wouldn't take much to shatter the strength that had carried him this far. However, Bruce also knew the grief that had brought Dick here and how it would get worse if he didn't get the answers he needed. His own grief had driven Bruce to the inevitable destiny of the Bat and he wanted to spare Dick that, wanted the boy to live a life that wasn't steeped in blood and violence.

That night, Gordon hadn't tried to shield the truth from him, even if Jim was better at delivering it better than he. However, instinct told Bruce that Dick could be strong and brave enough to handle it. He'd left the house in the dead of night and gotten all the way here from Wayne Manor, proving not only his determination but resilience. Making a decision, Bruce decided to take the gamble that Dick could handle the truth.

"They didn't fall Dick," Bruce spoke finally, watching the boy's reaction for any sign of fracture.

However, Dick merely raised his head and met the Batman's gaze directly, unflinching. Whether or not it was the shadows under the big top, something dark crept into the boy's features and his blue eyes looked grey as if storm clouds had swept across them. Bruce could feel the smoldering fury beneath his intense stare.

"The ropes of the fly bar were cut," Bruce finished, once again falling silent to await the boy's response.

Once again, that restrained, intense gaze bore into him with enough scrutiny to make even a Batman flinch. "Who cut them?" He asked.

"I don't know," Bruce admitted honestly. With everything he had taken on by bringing Dick into his home, Bruce hadn't the opportunity to investigate as closely as he'd like. "But I swear to you I'll find out."

Dick cocked his head as if he was seeing the Batman for the first time. His expression softened as if he had taken as much information as he could and was finally overwhelmed by it all. His eyes welled with tears and he whispered, "but they'll still be dead."

There was no anger or hatred in his voice as he said those words, just a sad acceptance of that one simple fact whatever the outcome of Bruce's search. It had taken years for Bruce to reach the same conclusion and only after years of frustration and anguish. Dick had relinquished his need for vengeance far sooner than he had and was choosing instead to embrace the loss. A surge of pride went through the Batman and he wanted to hug Dick to tell him how proud he was. Instead, he placed a gauntleted hand on Dick's shoulder and squeezed. "Yes," he answered seeing no reason to lie, "but at least they'll have justice."

Dick looked up at the crime fighter and did not feel the fear that so many villains had. Even with that hard, scary mask, Dick suspected the man behind it was kind and replied, "Just don't let anyone else be hurt."

Once again, Bruce found himself surprised by the boy and answered firmly. "They won't . I promise."


	11. Sons and Daughters

After the destruction of its research facility, the DeSaad Corporation went into receivership. Its research arm was immediately discarded, largely due to the public outcry caused by the exposure of the illegal human experimentation conducted at Michael Canto's direction. Lois Lane had reported every gruesome detail on the pages of the Daily Planet and for a time, its custodians considered changing the name of the company entirely. However, once the furore had died down and compensation made to the families of the victims, DeSaad slipped out of the public consciousness and the company kept its trading name even if it had been whittled away to a shadow of its former self.

Six years since that day, DeSaad had rebounded from those troubling times and while no way the juggernaut it had been in the past, it was now operating at a profit. Its resurrection from bankruptcy had come in the form of its new CEO, Grace Good. Grace had gained her reputation as a corporate raider who had taken several companies on the brink of insolvency and through some smart cost cutting, saved them. Grace was willing to invest her own money and had taken DeSaad from grateful government auditors who were happy to relinquish control. With Grace in charge, DeSaad tapped into the burgeoning 'smartphone' market that exploded into a billion dollar industry. Leading the company's charge into the telecommunications industry, she made DeSaad a viable force once again.

As a result of this, Grace had grown accustomed to her autonomy since being assigned to Earth. Kanto's departure had infuriated Darkseid and the only thing that had kept their master from obliterating Kanto into atoms had been the revelation of a live Kryptonian on the planet. Darkseid's orders to her had been specific; observe and report the Kryptonian's activities on Earth. It seemed simple enough except that the said Kryptonian had disappeared without a trace. For five years, Grace busied herself with DeSaad, making alliances with Brainiac to find him.

Unfortunately, when the Kryptonian did return, it was at Brainiac's expense. Not only did the AI have to content with an equal, the Kryptonian was no longer a raw, undisciplined youth. He'd returned to the world, with his powers fully realised and revealed to the world as Superman. Brainiac's disappearance soon after indicated that he'd confronted Superman and was bested. Grace was realistic; she was out of her league and didn't even bother to make such an attempt. Capturing and claiming him for Apokolips was beyond her and she suspected might even require the direct intervention of Darkseid himself which her master was not prepared to do. Yet.

However, the presence of a second Kryptonian, a child, changed  _everything_.

From Lashina's report, the girl was young, little more than a teenager. Younger than even the Swan had been when Kanto brought her to Apokolips. A child with those power levels under Granny's tutelage? The possibilities were endless. To say nothing of fact that her DNA could hold the answer to the riddle of the Anti-Life Equation Darkseid had sought for so long. All this could be possible if they could acquire her.

Unfortunately at present, that was proving to be more difficult than Grace or the Furies had anticipated. It had been a week since their confrontation with the girl named Kara at the Kent home and there was still no trace of her anywhere on the globe. Grace had the Furies had used all the resources available to them to find her but so far, it had availed them nothing. They'd even watched Lois Lane under the hopes that the reporter might lead them to Kara but it appeared that this was expected since the human made no move that could give away the girl's location.

"This is boring," Mad Harriet grumbled as she sat perched on top of the leather sofa in Grace's penthouse office, flicking through the channels of the big screen television "Why can't we just carve up the girlfriend until he gives us the girlie?"

"Don't be stupid," Lashina retorted. "He'll be expecting us to come after her and unless we can reach her before him, we'll be at a disadvantage."

"I can take him," the Swan smouldered, still wearing the bruise on her skin delivered her to her by the Amazon interloper who had turned the tide of the battle at the Kent home. They almost had the child! The Swan's ego smarted from the loss.

"We aren't sure he'll be alone," Grace pointed out as a matter factly. "The Amazon is almost as formidable as he is and you barely held your own against one of them."

Swan strode over to Grace, dropping forward against the oak desk and glared at the woman. "I can take you apart..." she through hissed teeth.

"ENOUGH!" Lashina snapped her whip around Swan's throat and pulled her away from Grace. "Grace is right and the girl is too valuable a prize to lose."

"Oooh the pretty bird's had her wings clipped," Mad Harriet sang gleefully from her seat.

Swan yanked the whip off her throat and flicked it aside, her expression stormy but was disciplined enough not to attack her captain while on mission. When they returned to Apokolips, there would be a reckoning, Swan promised herself but not now. She turned away from Lashina and was about to teach Mad Harriet a lesson when suddenly her eyes caught sight of something on the screen...

"STOP!" She barked sharply.

"What?" Harriet asked innocently.

"Give me that," Swan did not answer, instead closing the distance to Harriet and snatching the remote from her hands. Turning the device to the screen, she pressed the buttons that retraced the steps of Harriet's channel surfing.

"What is it?" Lashina demanded, wondering if the Swan had spotted something else that could be useful to them.

When the channel she'd sought finally came into view, the Swan adjusted the volume controls so that she could hear what was being said regarding the broadcast.

"...despite Mr Wayne's reputation as a philanderer, Judge Maria Vargas stated that Wayne had made an impassioned plea to the court to be appointed as Dick Grayson's temporary guardian until a more arrangement can be reached. It's a matter of public record of course that Wayne had suffered a similar tragedy when his parents Thomas and Martha Wayne were shot and killed in front of him as a child.

"I lost my own parents as a child," Wayne has been quoted to have said to Judge Vargas, "I understand what Dick is going through and I can help him. If I can do this, then at least my parents' death will have some meaning."

"Uggh," Harriet complained, grimacing at all this over sentimentality. "I'm going to be sick."

"I know him," the Swan declared and then swung around to face Lashina. "I KNOW him. He is friends with the Kryptonian! He was at the farm, I remember him there."

"Bruce Wayne?" Grace said with scepticism. That wastrel was a friend of Superman? It was hard to believe. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she nodded with utter certainty. "He was at the farm along with the Kryptonian."

"If that's the case," Grace mused, an idea forming in her mind as she saw Bruce Wayne walking down the steps of Gotham's Court House with the young boy he had adopted. "Then the Kryptonian must consider him a good friend, if Wayne knows the truth about him."

"They are close," the Swan nodded, uncertain how she could be so sure of this. She just felt it in her gut that it was the truth.

"Well then," Grace looked at Lashina who was starting to smile because the Fury captain was starting to guess where Grace was going with this. "We might have added a new piece to the board. What was the boy's name again? Dick?"

* * *

Martha remembered the first time she saw Clark fly.

He had just shoved her to the ground after telling her that her son was dead. The complete emptiness in his eyes, so lacking in feeling or warmth had near shattered her heart. When he took the sky, the wonder of what he had done was entirely lost upon her. All she could think about when he disappeared into clouds was that Jor-El had stolen her son. The loss was temporary of course and eventually Clark returned to her but the moment was lost and even though she'd seen him fly countless time since as Superman, Martha still regretted missing that first flight.

Fortunately today, Martha had the chance to see another Kryptonian take flight and  _this_  time, she could fully appreciate the moment.

It had been a week since Diana had brought Martha and Kara to Themyscira, the island paradise that was home to the Amazons. Martha didn't remember very much of those first few days. Her injuries had kept her groggy and sequestered to the Isle of Healing where she'd been under the care of Epione, the chief Amazon healer. Nevertheless, she soon learned that despite being isolated from the modern world, Amazon medicine was surprisingly sophisticated. Thanks to Epione's expert skills, her convalescence was nowhere as painful and lengthy as it could have been. In fact, she was soon well recovered enough to return to the main island and be attended to at the Queen's palace.

Martha was grateful for this because she was eager to see how Kara was doing. While she'd been healing, Diana brought Kara to visit her every day and although the girl appeared to be in better spirits than before, Martha still wanted to be close by. Diana had also explained that she was showing Kara how to deal with her powers, teaching her to manage the strength and speed she now possessed. While there were some lessons that only Clark could teach, Diana was still a good substitute for the time being.

This morning, Martha was admiring the breathtaking view of Themyscira as she watched Kara's latest lesson. The island was very much the paradise that Lois had described in her writings. The city was constructed on the remnants of an extinct volcano that hand long ago exhausted itself. The results of its final expulsion had left the earth rich and the Amazons had cultivated this to feed its population. The island maintain much of its conical shape though the northern edge had collapsed upon itself and created a crescent shape bay. The architecture of the city was pre-Hellenic and slanted towards the Corinthian period with terraces that culminated at the Temple of Athene which was its peak.

From where she'd been situated by Epione, who was part nurse, part drill sergeant, Martha was able to watch Kara and Diana as she rested against the daybed placed there for her benefit at one of the balconies attached to the palace. Martha took in the sight of Kara with a mixture of awe and pride as she saw Kara taking to the skies, her gold hair billowing in the wind and the soft fabric of her blue toga swirling around her. Even from this distance, she could see the unbridled joy on the girl's face as she delighted in her new powers.

It was the first time Martha had seen Kara  _really_  happy.

Diana was hovered close by, circling the girl like a mother hen in case Kara need help. As Martha understood it, Diana had taken to flight no sooner than she had learned to walk. It was so unlike Clark who had learned by the most extreme of circumstances. It made Diana the perfect tutor to and as Martha watched them both, flying through the sky like two majestic birds, she couldn't help feel the same jubilation that Kara must be experiencing at that moment.

"I never tire of watching her," a voice declared behind Martha.

Glancing over her shoulder, Martha saw the Queen approaching her. Even thought she was dressed in a short everyday toga like everyone else and her crown was absent, Hippolyta projected royalty. It was in the way she carried herself, Martha had decided. Everything about her epitomized the gravitas of someone who commanded with exuded wisdom and compassion.

Martha had met presidents who didn't have half as much presence as this Amazon Queen.

"She's beautiful," Martha agreed with the same pride that could only be shared between mothers, "you must be very proud."

"I am," Hippolyta answered, unashamed to deny it as she took a seat on the far end of Martha's daybed. "However, my pride comes from the love in her heart. Her other gifts would mean little without that."

"I understand," Martha appreciated the sentiment most intimately. "I feel the same about Clark."

"You also have reason to be proud," Hippolyta complimented, sincere in her admiration of this very mortal woman who had raised a god. "Diana thinks most highly of your son. It is not easy for us Amazons to trust men but he has shown us uncommon kindness and courage."

"He is father's son," Martha admitted, refusing to take all the credit for Clark when so much of his nature was due to Jonathan's guidance. "Jonathan was a good man and we raised Clark to be the same. Of course it was not always easy." She added with a little laugh thinking on the mind field that had been Clark's childhood and adolescence.

Sympathising completely, Hippolyta broke in a smile and nodded in complete agreement. "When one raises a child who can take to the skies when lessons bore her or run as fast as the wind, there are  _always_  challenges. I imagine you had similar difficulties with Clark."

"I did," Martha nodded before her expression softened. "It was very hard for him. We had no idea where he had come from, what the extent of his powers were. All we knew was that he needed us and we needed him. We tried to help and guide him as best we could but we were always afraid that that once people found out about him, they were going to come to take him away from us."

She fell silent recalling the day when she and Jonathan had summed up the courage to take Clark to a doctor, to see if medicine could explain his powers. However, at the last moment she'd lost her nerve, having been struck with the cold fear that if they exposed Clark to anyone else, he'd be taken from them and they'd never see him again.

The silence prompted Hippolyta to reach for Martha's hand and squeeze it lightly, sensing that there was some pain behind it. Hippolyta felt a kinship with Martha, aware that this woman understood all too well that raising an extraordinary child was not without its own dangers and difficulties. Even with all their powers, neither Kal nor Diana were truly invulnerable. Furthermore, their destinies constantly placed them at odds with beings who were almost as powerful and capable of defeating them both.

"I do not think anyone else could have done so well for him as you and your mate, Martha," Hippolyta spoke. "We all feel the need to protect our children from what we believe might harm them. I myself worried that when Diana was a child, growing up in an island where everyone around her were millennia old might have made her feel isolated and alone."

"Oh I don't think she could have felt alone," Martha was quick to assure the queen, not after what she'd seen since being here. Her gaze swept across the island, thinking that aside from its beauty, this was a close-knit community that reminded her of Smallville in many ways. "Just the way all of you have welcomed Kara since she's been here tells me that no child growing with all this could  _ever_  feel alone."

Martha's remarked serve to jog Hippolyta's memory of Diana's childhood and what her birth had meant to her Amazon sisters. "Truth be told, my sisters are rather delighted to have another child here to fuss over and indulge. It has been a long time since Diana was a child. She was the first infant born to this island and she did not belong only to me but to all of us."

"It shows," Martha replied, thinking that Diana's sweet nature had to do with the positive environment in which she had been raised. "Kara's been through so much. It's bad enough that she's arrived on a new world but she's lost everything and everyone she's ever known. Seeing her smile and laugh," Martha's voice choked with emotion thinking the change in Kara's demeanour since being here, "I can't thank you enough for that. Not just for giving us a place to hide but for helping her see she's not alone. She needs that now more than anything."

"It is my pleasure Martha," Hippolyta said glad to hear that. "Kara's stay benefits us as much as you. Furthermore, Diana considers Clark family as do I. Your son helped my daughter defeat Ares and saved my people. You and yours will always be welcome here."

"Thank you," Martha said genuinely touched by the emotion. Glancing up at Diana once more, she sighed, "Clark and Diana are so much alike. Their powers allow them to understand each other in a way I don't think anyone can truly appreciate. Clark's never really had that kind of connection."

"Diana as well," Hippolyta admitted and then frowned, "however it is her romantic connections that give me pause."

"Ah," Martha rolled her eyes and tried not to smirk because  _this_  feeling, she knew well too. "Diana's like most young women. There's just something about the brooding, silent type…"

* * *

"Keep up little one," Diana called out to the girl even though the Amazon princess knew the taunt would return to haunt her, if what she had seen of Kara's ability was any indication. Leaving Kara behind her, Diana soared higher and higher into air, until she was punching a hole through the clouds, leaving Themyscira a rapidly shrinking speck beneath her.

"No fair!" Kara shouted after her, trying to make herself heard over the sound of roaring wind in Diana's wake. "I just learned how to fly!" She pouted and became even more determined to catch up.

Yet even as she said it, Kara knew she had no fear, not any more. Not only that but she was actually flying! Beneath her was Themyscira and the higher she got, the greater this feeling of freedom spread across her chest until it felt like she might explode from the sheer power of it. Kara glanced down and saw the island disappearing into the vast blue ocean that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. This world was so different, not at all like Krypton and definitely not like the containment of Argo City. It was big and it was beautiful and she want to run or fly across it so she'd all of it.

The realisation made her laugh, made her understand why Father wanted her to come here, why he was willing to lie to get her here. She wished she could tell him and Mother how wonderful it was to be able to do this. However, since she could not, she would do the next best thing. She would honour them by living the life they had sacrificed so much to ensure she'd have. Since coming to Earth, Kara had been so afraid. She thought she was alone but these past few days had taught her she was anything but that. There was Kal, Martha, Lois, Diana and all the Amazons who welcomed her with open arms since coming to Themyscira and Earth. Every one of them had extended their hand to her in friendship.

She had only to take it and in doing so, she was set free.

Diana had taught her how to use her strength, taught her how to pick a cup without shattering it and how to hug a person without breaking every bone in their body. Diana had taught her how to use her speed, how to defend herself, how to move so fast, she was almost invisible. The simplest things she'd taken for granted needed to be relearned and though he knew her training was nowhere complete she was eager to master it all. After what had happened to Martha because of those horrible women, Kara was determined to become the warrior she needed to be to protect the people she loved.

Diana's most important lesson however, had  _nothing_  to do with her powers.

" _Your powers make you strong little one but they are not all you are."_

Those were words that could have come from her father and Kara paid attention. Diana was right, these powers were amazing and what they allowed her to was just as amazing but she could never forget who she had been before she had them. Her parents had raised her to care for people, to be kind, to be a person of good conscience. Those women had tried to take her so they could turn her into a monster. They'd almost killed Martha to achieve that end and that was a crime Kara could not forgive. Her outrage added fire to her determination to gain control of these powers. They were never going to take her and they certainly weren't going to hurt anyone else trying.

Kal was out there right now, Diana told her, protecting the humans as Superman. Kara had been powerless to help her parents and Argo City. She would not fail her new family now that she had the power to protect them.

Tucking one arm beneath her chest, Kara outstretched the other forward, aiming herself like a comet as she streaked through the sky, white hot and unstoppable. She didn't realise that she was going faster and faster, not until she reached Diana and started to pass her by. Kara flashed the Amazon a smile of mischief, waving once before another surge of acceleration had her explode forward, leaving Diana behind. A loud boom exploded around her and the clouds scattered as if they were trying to get out of her way as she pulled further away from her teacher.

Up this high, there were no clouds and the colour of the blue sky began to darken. The air around her thinned and felt cooler though she did not notice. Staring ahead, she could see the heavens beyond the earth, twinkling their amusement at her audacity. Laughing, she performed a series of loops, squealing in delight with each new manoeuvre.

The shockwave from the sonic boom disrupted Diana's flight and she called out after the girl, aware that would be a point where she would not be able to keep up with the Kryptonian. Kal was able to break the gravitational pull of planet to brave the vacuum of the exosphere, Diana could not. While she was pleased that Kara was pushing her limits, the girl had less than a day of flying experience behind her and Diana did not want Kara to lose control of the situation by impetuousness. Besides if she experienced any difficulty up there, Diana might not be able to retrieve her.

"KARA! COME BACK NOW!"

She thought Kara might disobey because the girl was riding a wave of euphoria that was difficulty to rein due to her youth. Diana herself remembered just how intoxicating it was to fly for the first time and her heart swelled with pride that she'd been able to help Kara realise that ability but like any teacher, she was cautious. For the first time, Diana began to understand Hippolyta's anxiety that same day. Life is a circle, Diana sighed inwardly and felt a surge of relief when she saw Kara heading back towards her.

Instead of stopping, Kara tackled Diana in a big hug that had them both plunging downwards a little before both women regained control of their flight and pulled apart to hover in place for the moment.

"Diana, that is so amazing!" Kara gushed, oblivious to the fact that with the wind velocity around them, she was barely audible at 200 thousand feet. "I can't believe it! I could see the stars Diana! If I'd gone any further, I could have been in space! Can I go into space? Has Kal done it?" She asked firing all of these questions as quickly as she could think them. Suddenly, Kara couldn't wait to see Kal again. She had all these questions for him. Had he ever gone into space? Did he have to wear breathers? Was it cold? Would they feel the cold out there? Could they fly in a vacuum? So many questions! Her head was almost bursting with them.

Diana laughed because Kara's excitement was so infectious. Diana barely heard half of what Kara was saying and suspected that it had not occurred to Kara that she did not possess the hearing of a Kryptonian. As it was, it was only Kara's super hearing that allowed her to hear Diana's earlier call. Instead of trying to answer, she gestured Kara to follow as they began their descent to return home.

Understanding that it was time to head back to the island, Kara nodded and smirked again before diving towards the ground, leaving Diana behind her again. She couldn't wait to tell Martha everything that had happened today.

Diana shook her head and smiled, suddenly feeling the need to find her mother and apologise to Hippolyta for her  _entire_  childhood.


	12. Search

Thanks to the holidays, there was no need for Lois to return immediately to work when she returned to Metropolis. To avoid explaining to Perry how she'd gotten hurt, Lois decided to stay at her apartment to recover. She'd already planned to take a few days for her stay in Smallville and saw no reason to change that when the timing was so opportune. Besides, there was plenty for her to do even if she'd promised Clark she'd take it easy. Despite his concerns for her wellbeing, both of them knew that the current situation with Valerie needed immediate action.

Of course what that action could be was another question entirely.

Bruce had promised to help but he was distracted by the welfare of his young charge and Lois didn't want to impose on this time any more than she had to. Besides, he already done more than enough by sending Diana to the farm when he had. Lois shuddered to think what would have happened if the Amazon hadn't arrived. Kara would have been spirited away to that alien world and both she and Martha would be most likely dead. There had been no way to help Valerie when she'd been taken and the thought of the same thing happening to Kara was more than Lois could stand. Valerie had turned into a monster although there was a part of Lois that wasn't ready to believe she was an irredeemable one.

The billowing drapes riding a sudden gust of wind through the balcony doors told Lois that Clark was back. Immediately snapping her laptop lid close, she fumbled for the remote and hastily switched on the television before lying back on the sofa, feigning rest and recuperation before he stepped into the apartment. C been insistent that she get some rest even though Lois felt by now, he really ought to know better. Still, she didn't want to hear the complaining so it was better to play the part.

Clark zipped through the balcony doors faster than the eye could see, mostly to avoid being seen by anyone outside before the building. Still in the suit, he saw Lois on the sofa, pretending to watch Oprah and rolled his eyes, perfectly aware of what she had been doing prior to his return.

"Give it up Lane," he scowled as he joined her on the sofa. "You know I have X-ray vision right? I can see before I even get through the doors."

Lois made a face at him and stuck out her tongue in retaliation.

"Oh  _very_  mature," Clark shook his head before leaning forward to plant a quick kiss on her lips before pulling back again. "How you doing?"

"I'm okay really," she assured him, aware that his worry for her had largely to do with her fragile, human self. Clark often took too much responsibility for any injury she sustained believing he had failed in some way to protect by being unable to prevent it. Reaching for his hand, she ran a thumb over his knuckle in affection and saw his earlier ire wanning. "Besides you know me. When I have ever been able to sit around and do nothing?"

She had him there, Clark decided conceding defeat. Lois was a bundle of energy that sometimes left Clark with his Kryptonian physiology, in the dust. Then again, she had been that way since he met her. Clark had lost count of how many weird escapades she'd dragged him into, even before they were paired up as partners at the Daily Planet. Of course when he was in Smallville, she'd driven him crazy with her antics while these days, he wondered how he didn't adore her from the start.

It always made him smile to remember that when she'd been giving him the speech about saving for a bike, it was  _she_  who ended being his Harley.

"Okay so assuming that you've been working all morning," Clark declared getting to his feet to make her lunch because knowing Lois, she'd forget to eat or would end up calling for some unhealthy takeaway. "What did you find out?"

Glad to give up the facade, Lois grinned and reached for her laptop again, "Not much about three super powered psycho fembots unfortunately but I did look into DeSaad Corporation. You know it's become a telecommunications company since we exposed the human experimentation they were conducting seven year ago."

Clark was aware that DeSaad was back in business but he also knew that Bruce would have kept close eye on the company following its collapse after Valerie was taken. However due to his five year absence, he couldn't say that he was completely up to date on its recent status. "You think they might be still connected to Valerie and those aliens?" He asked from the kitchen as he heated two slices of bread with a burst of heat vision.

"I don't know," Lois replied with a frown, unhappy that she couldn't see the connection using the only resource available to her at the moment. She needed to be out there, talking to contacts, checking sources, and really investigating to get at the truth. One could only Google so much. "I mean the company was struggling for years after Valerie and then a last few years ago, they got bought out by a corporate raider named Grace Good. Since then, Good's taken them into the smart phone market and put them back in the Fortune 500 lists again."

Clark was aware of the name in passing as he stepped out of the kitchen, carrying Lois' meal of eggs and toast. "What do we know about her?"

Lois sat up a little straighter at the aroma of hot coffee and could help but chuckle at the sight of Superman in her living room, serving her lunch.

"Not much," she said as she made room for the tray he was putting on her lap. "Grace went to Vassar, spent most of the Noughties as corporate raider who was famous for buying and breaking up failing companies. She amassed a sizeable fortune doing it so when she came aboard DeSaad; it was assumed she was going to break it up. Instead, she restructured the company and put their remaining capital into smart phones. It paid off."

"Really," Clark poured her a cup of coffee and sat next to her again. It seemed too convenient but then again, the woman could simply be very good at what she did. It definitely bore more investigation. "Since you're not going to get any rest, how about you try and find out what you can about her. I mean the information that's not in some annual company report."

"Aye, aye captain," she offered him a salute. "You should talk to Bruce see what he's got on them. Also, find out if he's heard from Diana. I'd like to know how Mrs Kent and Kara are doing."

"Yeah I'll check in with him," Clark agreed. Truth be told, they had been in close contact. Diana's last report to Bruce had revealed that his mom was healing well and Diana was helping Kara master some of her abilities. Clark felt guilty about being teach her himself. After all, she was  _his_  cousin. Still he suspected Diana had the temperament to be a good teacher and Kara might relate to a friend better than family, for instruction.

"I gotta go," he leaned forward and kissed her again. "I'll be back this evening. What do you want for dinner?"

"Ooh Szechuan!" Lois exclaimed excitedly because when Clark got Chinese takeaway, he didn't get it from Chinatown but from downtown  _Shanghai_. Hey there had to be some perks to dating the man of steel.

"Okay," he laughed. "The usual then. Call me if you need anything."

"Don't worry," she winked at him. "I'll turn on the Bat signal."

Clark gave her a look, "very funny."

* * *

Bruce had returned to Haly's Circus twice since the murder of the Flying Graysons.

The first occasion was to examine the crime scene after the media frenzy had died down. Gordon had given him access to the crime scene before it was catalogued and cleared away by forensic technicians. Truth be told, Bruce would have conducted his own investigation whether or not Gordon paved the way. Prior to his alliance with the Commissioner, Bruce had often intruded on crime scenes to conduct his own forensic analysis but he had to admit it was easier to do when he didn't have to avoid a bunch of cops.

The second time was only recent, when he had followed Dick here after the boy had left the manor to return to the scene of his parents' death. The child had tried to understand why his parents had died and had thought seeing the place where they had fallen might give him answers. Unfortunately it had not. However, Dick had come away from the encounter knowing that the Batman was on the trail of his parents' murder. Bruce believed it had helped.

Tonight, Bruce's visit to the circus had little to do with the crime scene and more to do with its owner, C.C Haly. It hadn't taken much deduction for Bruce to reach the conclusion that the death of the Graysons had little to do with them and everything to do with where they had died. From what Bruce had been able to learn about the family, Jonathan and Mary had been good upstanding people who took pains to raise their son with all the opportunities that they were able to provide. They were loved by those who knew them and had no reason to earn the hatred that provoked their callous murder.

This meant that their deaths were a warning to someone else.

Normally he'd keep the place under surveillance, infiltrating the performers' ranks by wearing one of his many guises but time was of the essence. It wouldn't be long before Gordon gave them permission to leave Gotham and with the grim cloud of tragedy hanging over the circus, he suspected they would not hesitate to put this city behind them. Once that happened, potential witnesses could scatter to the four winds and Bruce would never get the answers he needed. He knew in his gut that if he didn't solve this before they left town, he may never solve the crime at all and he was determined to solve for Dick's sake.

* * *

Charles Carnegie Haly poured himself another drink from the half empty bottle of whiskey sitting on the Formica top table bolted to the floor of the his aging campervan. Raising the glass to his lips, he sipped the amber liquid, taking comfort in the burn that ran down his gullet as his eyes brushed over the once colourful posters adorning the walls of the motor home. He was working himself into a good drunk and knew that it would take only another glass or two before he passed out for the night. It was the best possible outcome after too many sleepless nights of late.

Like other performers in the circus, Haly's nights were filled with nightmares of Jon and Mary, tumbling to the sawdust, their lives ending with a sickly splatter of shattered bone and muscle. They'd been watching the performance, riveted as always, watching them in awe and wonder before it all went wrong and all he could remember was the shock and horror. Even now, the memory of it made him wince, leaving his throat dry and causing his heart shrivelling in his chest. It was almost hard to breathe.

 _It shouldn't have happened, not to them, not in front of Dick_.

Sixty-five years in the business and he'd never seen an accident like this. He'd always tried to be better than most, treated his performers like family and like any good father, he made sure they were safe. The deaths of his favourite children had broken his heart and would likely follow him into death. He knew it would never the same again, the experience had poisoned the joy the circus had brought to his life, souring it forever.

He let out a shudder of anguish and drained the glass quickly, suddenly deciding that the drunk wasn't coming fast enough. He wanted to drink until he was passed out or numb, he no longer cared which came first. Reaching for the bottle, Haly wanted to chase the last swallow with another when suddenly the lights inside the camper went dark and he was sitting in pitch dark. He froze in mid-reach, lowering his hand cautiously as a single thought crossed his mind.

_They've come back._

Something moved across the floor of the motor home like wraith in haunt. He didn't know where the dark shape had originated, only aware that it was slowly approaching him. Haly opened his mouth to speak but was incapable of making a sound. Suddenly a beam of light pouring through the window caught the odd shape emblem on the figure's chest. It was the angular shape of a bat. The intruder paused a few feet away from the table and Haly saw a cowled figure, shrouded in a long dark cloak spoke with a voice that sounded like brittle glass.

"Jonathan and Mary Grayson were killed to send a message to you."

The words hung in the air for a few seconds and Haly almost opened his mouth to protest but as it sunk in; he fell silent again because despite the delivery, it was the truth. He couldn't deny it no matter how much he wished otherwise.

"Who were they?" The dark shape demanded with finality, sounding as if it were a foregone conclusion with no need for Haly's confirmation, where his answer was merely formality.

"I don't know," Haly muttered weakly, guilt driving the lie. "I don't." He insisted, trying to convince himself more than the thing waiting for an answer in the shadows.

Silence followed for a few seconds before the intruder spoke again. "Dick deserves the truth."

Haly's shoulders sagged as if the words were a thousand pound weight that had just landed on him. It drove the wind of any protest or argument out of him and made the words die in his throat. He couldn't fight the truth of that simple utterance and he knew he owed it to the dear friends who had died to tell this creature anything he wanted. Justice demanded no less.

"I didn't think they were serious," he confessed at last, feeling his voice becoming strangled with emotion. His breath escaped him in ragged pants like the revelation was sapping his will. "I swear I didn't think they'd hurt anyone."

The Batman showed no reaction to the man's tortured statement or offer any words of sympathy. That was not what he was about. He spoke for the victims and ensured they received justice even in death. The wreckage left by the crime was not his to attend.

He waited in silence for Haly to compose himself and continue his dark tale.

"They came to me the night before the show. Two men who looked like something of a bad mob movie. They even spoke like they were putting on a show."

"What did they want?" the Batman asked although he had a good idea.

"Money," Haly said bitterly. "They said that with all the celebrities attending the gala performance I should have fat ticket sales. They wanted 60 percent. They said it was the price of doing business in Gotham." In the shadowy light of the campervan, Haly's expression crumpled with grief. "I thought it was a joke! I wasn't afraid. I didn't take them seriously. God help me, I didn't take them seriously..." His words descended into anguished sobs.

"Did they give you their names?"

The question stopped Haly's tears and he raised his head to stare at the stranger with blue eyes that had become darker of late. "Not intentionally. They didn't use names when they were speaking to me but I heard one of them when they were leaving." The visual of the two men appeared in his mind, one who was all muscle and said little except an obligatory grunt here and there while the other, with the slick back hair and the expensive suit, smiled like a hyena and did all the talking.

"I heard one of them call the other Tony."

* * *

Tony Zucco.

The Batman knew him well. Anthony Zucco was one of Sal Maroni's chief lieutenants in Gotham, a thug who was a lot smarter than he looked. Zucco had risen in the ranks of Gotham's underworld during power struggle following the arrest of Carmine Falcone. Zucco's speciality was extortion and had almost bled parts of Gotham's Little Italy dry until Gordon became commissioner and adopted a zero tolerance policy towards the crime. Before that, those who didn't pay would live to regret it. Zucco never went after them directly but it was always a loved one that got hurt or killed. He was not only vindictive but also an egotistical son of a bitch.

He  _liked_  the notoriety.

Bruce could only imagine what fury Haly had unknowingly provoked by not taking Zucco seriously. Zucco didn't take slight to his ego well and the message to Haly, written in Jonathan and Mary Grayson's blood, was a display of power, to show Haly who he was dealing with. It was very much in keeping with Zucco's  _modus operandi_.

The Batman was determined to see Zucco enjoy all the notoriety he could wish for when he dragged the mobster to the Courthouse steps.

* * *

The Batman watched the strip joint called the Sin Kitty Club from the shadows of an old margarine billboard perched atop a dilapidated building across the street.

Bruce had taken down Carmine Falcone during his first year as Batman. Falcone had held Gotham in a death grip for decades and had done so by bribing everyone from judges to beat cops to ensure his supremacy. His sudden removal had resulted in a power vacuum that sparked bloody violence through the underworld as numerous factions jockeyed for position. After gang warfare had left countless dead, Sal Maroni, a former Falcone lieutenant had emerged to take his master's place and with him was a new cabal of hungry, vicious gangsters, all vying to be his chief lieutenant.

Tony Zucco was one of these.

Bruce was convinced that extorting coin from Haly's circus on the night of its big showy, extravaganza with all of Gotham's luminaries, was Zucco's bid to top the list of contenders. It was certainly not the action Sal Maroni would have condoned. Maroni was nowhere as bold as Falcone and preferred to keep his shady dealings out of public view. When Thomas and Martha Wayne had been gunned down years before, public outrage had led to an awareness of the criminal cancer in the city. While Jonathan and Mary Grayson did not possess the profile of his parents, the result could be the same. Shock like that had a tendency to shake people out of their complacency.

Still, it infuriated Bruce to think that Dick's parents were murdered because one man had decided to impress his boss.

Maroni owned the Sin Kitty Club and was known to conduct his business from the premises. If Bruce wanted to find Zucco, this was the best place to do it. He was preparing to spend the next few hours keeping the club under surveillance when he felt his cape flutter around his ankles, a tell tale sign he had a visitor.

Still staring at club frontage with its gaudy neon pink lettering and cartoonish image of a cat lying in a cocktail glass, he did not look over his shoulder when he spoke.

"What are you doing here?" Bruce asked coldly. "I'm working."

 _How did he do that_? Clark grumbled inwardly as he descended onto the grimy roof after scanning Gotham's roof top for the last hour. He supposed he could have called but if Bruce was working, the man would not appreciate having to answer his cell phone.

Nevertheless, Bruce's frosty reception made Clark think twice about seeking him out tonight. It wasn't unusual for Clark to drop in on Bruce when he was working and while the Batman always seemed aloof, Clark knew his visits were welcomed. Tonight however, his manner was all business.

"I'm sorry to bother you," Clark apologised immediately. "I just came to ask you something."

"This is not a good time," Bruce retorted curtly without looking back at Clark and continued to his vigil over the Sin Kitty Club.

Only years of friendship gave Clark the courage to ignore Bruce's abrupt dismissal. Bruce had a tendency to keep things bottled up, unleashing it on the deserving criminals of Gotham. However, Bruce was his friend and the loyalty they gave each other would not allow him to withdraw, even when Bruce was at his most obdurate. Something was bothering his friend and he wasn't going anywhere until he knew what that was.

"What's going on?" Clark asked again, avoiding the use of Bruce's name. They never addressed each other directly when they were talking to each other in the open. "You know I won't go until you tell me."

Bruce grunted a muffled curse under his breath. His best friend could be the biggest pain in the ass sometimes even if he was one of the few people who was unafraid to call Bruce out on his behaviour. Bruce attributed Clark's stubbornness to his Kansas upbringing which could be a real nuisance to someone as solitary as he. However, he also knew that having a friend like Clark was what kept him grounded when it was easier to give in to rage and disconnection.

"The mobster who killed Dick's family is down there," Bruce replied finally, nodding in the direction of the restaurant.

"Oh," Clark exclaimed quietly, understanding the situation entirely now. "Are you going to bring him in?"

"Not yet," Bruce's words dripped with venom. "But I  _will_."

"Can I help?" Clark offered, forgetting Kara and their current predicament for the moment. This was important to Bruce and so it was important to him too.

Bruce's shoulders relaxed slightly and when he spoke again, the edge to his voice was no longer as sharp and without even hearing him say it, Clark knew Bruce was touched by the offer. "I can handle it myself," he said looking over his shoulder for the first time. "But thank you."

"Anytime you need me, I'm there," Clark reiterated.

"I know," Bruce replied with a nod.

"Alright," Clark said deciding to shelve the question about DeSaad for now. "I'll leave you to your surveillance."

"You came here for a reason," Bruce stated turning to face Clark before the man of steel flew off. "What did you need?"

Clark hesitated but Bruce's tone was now friendlier than it had been a moment ago. "Lois has been looking into DeSaad Corporation. It's under new management but she's wondering if there's any reason to think it could still have the same affiliations as Michael Canto."

"It's possible," Bruce had considered the possibility by his investigations into to the company had gotten side-tracked after his encounter with Dick at the circus. "It's easy enough for anyone to fake their credentials if they had knowledge and the resources. Michael Canto certainly did. I'll look into Grace Good when I get back to the cave."

"Thank you," Clark said appreciating the effort, aware that Bruce was more focussed on getting justice for his new ward. "How is he doing?"

"Not good but..." Bruce started to say and then needed a moment to articulate what he wanted to say because it was never easy for him to talk about the emotional subjects. "He's got heart. He wants me to find the killers so they don't hurt anyone again. It took me years to be able to get to the point where I could see past revenge and this kid; he gets it better than I  _ever_  did."

Clark heard the affection and pride in Bruce's voice and knew that it was unlikely that Bruce would ever relinquished his guardianship of young Dick Grayson. The boy was not only a kindred spirit but he connected with the implacable man that was Bruce Wayne far deeper than anyone had ever managed to so. Even more so than Chloe, Dian or even Clark himself. Dick was someone he understood, someone he could help because he had suffered the same anguish.

However, the difference between Bruce and Dick's process of healing was blatantly obvious to everyone, but the world's greatest detective.

"That's because you're there for him Bruce. You  _and_  Alfred. You were there to pick up the pieces straight away because you understand what he's going through. Sometimes just that makes all the difference. You and Alfred being there has made it better for him, not necessarily easier but still  _better_."

Bruce didn't know what to say to that and Clark took his silence as a signal to leave. When confronted with an emotion he found to difficult to cope with, Bruce found it simpler to withdraw.

Saying it out loud was harder than trying to bring Zucco to justice.

* * *

It was just before dawn when Bruce finally drove back to the manor.

Zucco had made an appearance and Bruce followed him for the next few hours, filing away the man's nocturnal habits and where he'd call home. Tomorrow, Bruce would begin a more invasive surveillance effort. Zucco would be able to take a piss without Bruce knowing about it. He wanted to ensure that whatever information he gathered would hold up in court and he might need Gordon to achieve that end.

Driving through the darkened woods that made up part of the Wayne Estate, Bruce took the familiar path to the cave, thinking that he might catch a few hours sleep before he had to deal with the day's efforts. Having Dick in the house meant he couldn't emerge from his bedroom in the mid afternoon as if he were continuing his playboy lifestyle, not when he wanted to be Dick's permanent guardian.

The boy hadn't made the decision yet and Bruce had no desire to pressure him. At the moment, he was just grateful to be able to keep Dick out of foster care.

The tumbler rumbled through the cascade concealing the cave from the outside world with a burst of acceleration. The car which was a bridging vehicle was able to traverse the drop between the water and the ledge with ease, landing on the shelf of rock with its usual clumsy grace. The headlights illuminated the darkened cave most likely annoying the several thousand bats that lived within in. However, Bruce had a suspicion that they had grown accustomed to sharing the cave with him since they no longer swarmed as much as they used to when the vehicle arrived.

After securing the vehicle, Bruce made walked down the ramp that led to the series of metal platforms he had constructed throughout the cave, connected by more walkways and ramps. He built the framework to match the interior of the cave, so he didn't have to bring down heavy drilling equipment to make more space. The final platform led to the mechanical elevator that would take him to the south west wing of the manor. Two centuries ago, these very caves had helped runaway slaves to their freedom.

Upon stepping off the ramp that led him away from the car, he stripped down to his underclothes, leaving the suit along with the boots on a pile for Alfred to deal with in the morning. Slipping on the robe he left on a workbench for this purpose, Bruce ran his fingers through his hair and decided he needed a shower before bed. Reaching the elevator, he stepped inside and noted its creak as it ascended.

 _Going to have to fix that_ , he thought to himself. The last thing he needed was for Dick to hear creaking noises coming from nowhere in a big, gothic manor.  _That will make a kid sleep better._

The minute he walked into the east wing of the manor where his bedroom and that of Dick's was located, Bruce felt something was wrong.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly had set alarm bells off in his head but instinct had saved his life on numerous occasions so he no longer questioned it. Nothing seemed immediately out of place as he walked down the hallway adorned by ornate sculptures and priceless artworks. The manor appeared as it always did, pristine under Alfred's expert care. It was only when he turned the corner did he feel his breath catch in his lungs.

Slumped against the doorway to Dick's room, was Alfred Pennyworth. His head hung limply forward while his arms rested on either side of him while his legs were stretched out in front of him. The front of his usually impeccably starched butler's white shirt was stained crimson. If it were not for the blood, Alfred might have resembled a wino who had fallen asleep drunk in someone's doorway on a cold night.

"ALFRED!"

Bruce was running before he had even cried out, skidding to his knees when he reached the older man. For one who was never overcome by a situation, Bruce's heart was pounding like a drum in his chest. The very idea of Alfred being dead was more than he could dare entertain. He crushed the thought mercilessly in his mind, refusing to give it any thought. He couldn't. If he succumb to the possibility of losing Alfred, he'd shut down and be of no use to anyone. He loved this old man more than he loved anyone in the world and the thought he could be dead...

"Master Bruce..." Alfred's head jerked up at Bruce's touch. "What did I say about running in these halls..."

Bruce let out a short laugh that was half relief and half anguish. "You're going to be alright, I'm going to get you help." He said trying to check the older man's wound without hurting him any more than he had to. He could see the cut through Alfred's shirt, the wounds were deep and the blood in his shirt and in the carpet below the man told Bruce he had lost a lot of blood. Unfortunately, Bruce couldn't tell if any vital organs were also damaged. This was too much for him to deal with. Alfred needed a hospital and soon. "Just rest Alfred," he clutching Alfred's stained hand, "I'm going to get you help."

"Master Bruce," Alfred croaked refusing to sit still, not until he told Bruce what he needed to. "I couldn't stop them. They took Master Dick..."

Dick. In his panic at seeing Alfred, Bruce had forgotten about Dick.

"What?" Bruce exclaimed before jumping to his feet and rushing through the door to the boy's room.

The struggle that left Alfred so grievously injured was immediately apparent when he stepped into the room. A window had been smashed, the pattern of glass indicating the intruders had come from the outside of the house. Glass fragments covered the floor beneath the window sill. They'd crossed the floor towards Dick's bed, upending the side table, probably in the struggle to get the boy out of it. The vase and irises it contained was smashed against the rug and then crushed underfoot in the struggle. The bound copy of Treasure Island which the boy been reading was splayed open next to the bed with the sheets pulled off the mattress.

They'd dragged him out of his bed.

As he studied the room, his blood turned cold at the message they'd left for him.

' _GIVE US THE GIRL OR WE WILL RETURN THE BOY IN PIECES.'_


	13. Guardian Angel

His head hurt.

He could feel the pain pressing against the walls of his skull, a dull throbbing ache that made him wince. One side of his body felt cold and his limbs ached, adding to the general discomfort forcing him into lucidity. His thoughts were foggy but not simply because of the pain. It felt like the lethargy of waking up except it didn't feel like he awoke from a restful sleep. There was something not right about it and it bothered him being unable to articulate the sensation.

Blinking once or twice, he lifted his head and a groan escaped his lips in reflex.

The sound felt muffled in his ears as Dick Grayson took stock of his surroundings and found this was definitely not the comfortable surroundings of his room at Wayne Manor. His body ached because he was lying on a hard, stone floor in a windowless room resembling a dungeon one saw in those movies with knights and wizards. There was a bed mounted against the wall not unlike the ones in the trailers of some of the circus folk at Haly's. The stainless steel bowl of a toilet protruded from the walls on the other side with the button to flush also built into the rock.

He was in jail.

The thought sparked a jolt of clarity and in a millisecond, images flashed before his eyes like he was viewing his very own picture show. They broke through the window and took him! Alfred tried to stop them, Dick realised and then a wave of despair remembering how one of the strange women, the one with razors on her fingers (like Wolverine!) attacked him. Like the night he saw his parents die, watching the crazy lady slashing at Alfred, his impeccable butler's shirt staining with blood was more than he could stand.

Dick sat up with a start and another groan of a pain escaped his lips.

Sitting up did clear up the fog in his head and when it did, he recognised another sound. Crying. He was alone in the room but he could still hear the soft, pitiful sounds of tears coming through the walls.

Rolling onto his hands and knees, he crawled across the stone floor to the metal door that sealed him inside this room. At the foot of the door, there was a slot, presumably for a food tray to be slid in. It was way to narrow for him to use as an escape but it if he got right down against the floor, it allowed him a look outside the room. Pressing his cheeks against the floor, he pushed the slot open and peered outside. Perhaps it would help him figure out where he was.

Beyond his cell, Dick saw a long corridor that stretched as far as his limited view could see.

Against the walls were more doors like the one he was trapped behind. They ran along the walls as far as the eye could see and it took every ounce of strength he had learned to develop since his parents died, to not allow his eight year old self to descending into panic.

 _Don't be afraid Dick_ , his father used to say when he was on the fly bar.  _Just think what comes next. If you panic, you'll fall._

Thinking about John Grayson wasn't helping. If anything, it made him want to cry even more. It made him miss not just father but also his mother, whose embrace he wanted to feel more than anything in the world right now. He blinked and felt angry that there were tears on his cheeks. He had to be brave, he told himself. He was in a bad place and he had to be brave if he wanted to survive it.

Another thought exploded in his head, like artillery shells at that moment. The Batman! The Batman promised to find out who had hurt his parents. The Batman was the world's greatest detective right? He'd know if Dick was kidnapped! It was a foolish, fragile hope to assume that the Dark Knight who promised to find his parents would also be his guardian angel but right now, Dick would cling to any shred of hope he could get.

Instead, he forced away his fear and focussed on the sound that had drawn him to the door in the first place—the crying. He sniffled away his own anxieties and strained to listen. After a second, he was rewarded with the same muffled tears being shed close by.

Perhaps as near the next cell even.

"Hello?" He called out gingerly, realising only after he had spoken that his jailors might answer instead.

Luck was with him because the crying paused abruptly and an uncertain voice replied back after a few seconds.

"Hello?"

It was another kid! Dick thought excitedly, his chest swelling in hope.

"Hi, I'm Dick," he introduced himself quickly. "What's your name?"

Dick heard a loud sniffle and guessed the other child was pressed against the floor speaking through the slot as he was doing. After a few seconds, he received an answer.

"Doe," came the soft voice.

"Doe? That's pretty," he said back and wondered if the other kid was a girl. Doe sounded like a girl's name but it was hard to tell. "Doe, do you know where we are?"

"No," Doe replied in a small voice and Dick suddenly had the feeling that the other child was much younger than him. Doe sounded like a baby.

"How did you get here?" He asked instead. He hoped Doe's experience might share some light on where they were.

There was another pause and it seemed like Doe had to think before answering Dick's question. "I don't know. There was a fire and someone carried me out but I don't remember anything else."

 _Definitely a baby_ , Dick thought impatiently.

Doe started to sniffle again and Dick was sure Doe was a girl. Only girls cried like that. Once again, he remembered what John Grayson said about girls and being nice to them.

"Its okay," he assured her even though he was frightened himself by this place and the situation they were in. "Don't cry. I have a guardian angel you know like Warrior Angel except he's a bat and he's real smart. He said he was going to help me so if I'm lost he's sure to come looking."

Doe didn't answer straight away but did stop crying. "Warrior Angel? Who's Warrior Angel?"

"He's a hero," Dick explained and then went on to explain the whole story about Warrior Angel and his battles with Devilicus, his arch nemesis.

Dick was confident that just like Warrior Angel, the Batman would come to save them both.

At least he hoped so.

* * *

"How is Alfred?" Lois Lane demanded when Bruce opened the door to the manor.

As soon as they learned what happened, Lois insisted on Clark bringing her to Gotham even though she knew he wanted her to remain at home in Metropolis and recuperate. Clark had initially intended to make the journey alone, suspecting he would need to Bruce from going off the deep end in his efforts to rescue Dick.

As it stood, Clark felt bad enough that Dick was taken because of Kara.

"He's alive," Bruce answered, turning his back on them as soon as the door was open, fully expecting the duo to follow him. "He's lost a lot of blood because of the deep lacerations but he's in serious condition."

Bruce's tone indicated that even if he wasn't wearing the cowl, he was operating with the mercurial calm of the Batman. No doubt it was the only way he could handle this kind of emotional turmoil, Clark thought silently.

"Bruce, should he be here?" Lois asked. Since Chloe's death, Lois had become very fond of Alfred Pennyworth. The man was a warm presence in this cold house and Lois feared for what would become of Bruce without him. "Wouldn't he be better off at a hospital?"

"I can't take him to a hospital. They will take one look at his wounds and call the police. None of us here can risk the exposure." His voice was bitter and Lois knew it was twisting him up inside being forced to take that into consideration when Alfred's life was in danger. "Not to mention that the police will know Dick is missing. Fortunately and old friend of mine was able to treat him and she's willing to remain discreet even if she's not very happy about it."

"Leslie?" Lois ventured a guess, knowing something of the woman.

"Leslie?" Clark stared at her, unfamiliar with this particular acquaintance.

"She's an old friend," Lois explained hastily as they followed Bruce up the stairs.

During the five years where he was absent, Lois and Bruce had bonded over their losses with Chloe's death and Clark's departure. They would have been family if not for Chloe's death and in the aftermath, develop a friendship that was almost as keep as blood. Bruce had let her into his world so Lois knew something of Doctor Leslie Thompkins even if the two women had never met.

Doctor Thompkins had been young Bruce Wayne's counsellor in the months following his parent's death. While she was never able to repair the trauma done to his psyche, she and Alfred took on the role of surrogate parents to give Bruce some semblance of the family he'd lost.

"Bruce I'm sorry about this," Clark felt compelled to apologise. He felt tremendously guilty that two people Bruce cared about so much, was harmed because of Kara. "I shouldn't have…"

Bruce halted in his ascent and glanced over his shoulder.

"Clark, you didn't break in here and attack Alfred nor did you take Dick." His voice was even more brittle than usual. "This was  _all_  Valerie. She's obviously remembered me from six years ago. It would have happened whether or not you came to me for help with Kara."

"Exactly!" Lois declared, never having any patience with recriminations or apologies when they had a situation on their hands. "We've got to think of what to do. We've got to get Dick back and figure out how to keep Kara out of those psycho aliens' radar. We can't keep her on Themiscyra forever."

"Spoken with your usual eloquence," Bruce remarked, unable to help adore the hot-headed woman who might have been his in-law if Fate had been kinder. Her impetuous, balls to the wall bluster was the perfect complement to Clark's calm, sometimes overly cautious manner. Furthermore, she had a way of cutting through the bullshit far more efficiently than any person Bruce had ever met.

"You're right Lois," Clark agreed begrudgingly as they reached the top of the stairs and started down the long hallway toward Alfred's room. "We've got to get ahead of this. Bruce, did they give you any idea how to contact them to make the exchange?"

"Not yet but I assume it will be coming," Bruce frowned, thinking on those bloody words on the wall. "They're probably letting me stew first."

"We need to talk to Diana and get her to bring Kara back. Agree to the exchange so they'll bring Dick back and then deal with them." Clark suggested.

Lois let out an involuntary exhale, showing her dislike at the idea. Years ago, they lost Valerie because Michael Canto had technology that had caught them unawares, resulting in Valerie being literally spirited away beyond their reach. Who knows what precautions they would take with a Kryptionian in the mix? Canto had shown that he knew how to neutralise Clark with blue kryptonite. Who was to say Dick's abductors wouldn't be prepared for the same with any exchange for Kara?

"No." Bruce surprised them both with that one statement.

"What do you mean no?" Clark stared at him. "Bruce, they won't show with Dick unless they see Kara."

"I know that an exchange is our fall back position."

"Then what do you have in mind?" Lois asked, throwing a sidelong glance at him.

No doubt his formidable intellect had been working on a course of action well before they arrived at the manner. In the face of adversity, that what Bruce did, Lois thought silently to herself. It was how he coped with pain—by making sense of it with a plan.

"We find out where Dick is  _first_. Then we bring him home," Bruce said firmly. "We're not sacrificing one for the other."

"Okay," Clark was fully supportive of such a plan. "Where do we start?"

Bruce's eyes narrowed, "I have a few ideas."

* * *

Grace was a light sleeper.

She wasn't this way because she possessed any natural aversion to a deep slumber but because the nights on this Earth was more difficult to tolerate than the waking hours. While she could train her mind to ignore the sanitary sentimentality of the humans during the day, at night, she was at their mercy. The sounds of the night were so alien to herGrace found she was unable to fully relax.

There was no ever pervading scent of poisoned atmosphere, not pounding or grinding of heavy machinery, not even the flap of para demons on route to enforcing Darkseid's commands. Worse of all, there were no screams of pain, no pleas for mercy and no cruel taunts of rejection. These were the sounds that nursed her to sleep at night at home but there was none of this on Earth and it served only to remind her how fragile she was.

She heard a sound, almost soundless in its delivery, like the near silence of cloth being dragged over the floor. At first she thought it might have been the rustle of a curtain because of an open window. Grace quickly discounted it because she occupied the penthouse of the Desmarcher Building and that high up; there were no windows that could be left open without high velocity winds rushing through the place. No, it wasn't any window.

The thought prompted the mechanism of her waking mind into operation and she blinked awake, her eyes bleary from the restless sleep. Her room was shrouded in darkness and only vague shapes of her bedroom furniture came into focus at first. Grace's instincts immediately kicked in and she knew there and then she wasn't alone.

She had only a split second to do anything with this information because without warning, something clamped around her ankle and yanked back hard. Panic filled her as she was suddenly dragged across silk sheets, her nightdress rolling up her body as she edged the bed and landed with a light thud on the carpeted floor.

Grace tried to fight back but her assailant had other ideas. With her dress rolled up above her arms and the force of the grip on her ankle, Grace found herself dragged out to the next room before she was release. She tried to sit up but the boot was planted firmly on her sternum forced her back down again.

"What the hell is going on?" She demanded haughtily.

The room was shrouded but even in the darkness, Grace made out three figures in the shadows. Two were standing a few feet away but one was closer, standing over her. A glint of light pouring through the window gave her silhouettes she recognised immediately and gave her confidence, now that she knew who she was dealing with.

"Where is the boy?"

The voice that asked was cold like ice. It was barely a hoarse whisper but the command in it was unmistakable.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Grace replied smugly, "Mr. Wayne."

If her statement was meant to unnerve the man in the cowl, it did not. Instead he repeated the question. "Where is the boy?"

"What boy? Why have you attacked me in my home? I don't know anything about any lost child." She assumed their investigations into DeSaad led them here, that somehow the detective had pierced through her identity to guess that she was affiliated with Canto and responsible for the abduction of the child.

"Yes you do," Bruce repeated himself. "You have no history before five years ago and what credentials you do have, you faked. You're not local Miss Goode."

"You know all about false credentials don't you Mr. Wayne," Grace retorted snidely.

The Batman didn't rise to the bait and that galled Grace. Compared to the other two, he was puny, inconsequential and yet she could see the other two reacting to her words while the man in the cowl remained unmoved.

"You went out of your way to acquire DeSaad, Miss Goode and instead of dismantling it like all the other companies you've acquired, you've kept this one alive. In fact, you've nursed it back into prominence. I suspect that it was your intent all along." He said.

"I made sound corporate decisions Mr Wayne," she insisted on using his name, hoping to shake him. "Something you appear incapable of by this foolish display. By morning, I'll have every law enforcement agency after all three of you. Heroes aren't supposed to resort to coercion."

"Let's get this done," the Kryptonian spoke up impatiently. "She's just trying to bait you."

"I know," the Batman said and through the darkness, Grace thought she might have seen the gleam of teeth exposed in a smile. "Where is the boy?"

Grace's patience stretched thin and then snapped, "even if I knew where he was, why would I tell you? Are you going to torture me? None of you weaklings have the mettle for that."

"Now that's where we have a surprise for you," this time it was the Kryptonian speaking. "Do it Diana."

There was no point hiding their identities because this woman obviously knew who they were. Of course by revealing that, she had given herself away and cemented Bruce's theory that Grace Goode originated from the same place as Michael Canto. Proving that she was complicit in abducting Dick was one thing—getting her to tell them where he was taken, was another matter.

Diana hated binding another sister and forcing her to their will but this woman had information they needed to save not just one child but two and overrode Diana's usual solidarity to another female.. Uncoiling the golden lariat hanging from her belt, she pulled Grace into a sitting position and wrapped the cord around the woman.

"What are you doing?" Grace demanded, unfamiliar with the Amazon as she was with the Kryptonian and this human. She glared at the lariat in rising anxiety and confusion.

Diana ignored her, making certain that the lariat was coiled several times around Grace and holding her in place. It would take a god to break through the chain and Diana's instincts told her that while Grace had her secrets, she was mostly human.

"You'll get nothing from me!" Grace spat. "All you'll succeed in doing is ensuring you never see the little brat again."

Bruce ignored the taunts, aware that the woman was unnerved because she had no idea what Diana was up to. When Bruce had first suggested that they focussed their search on the enemy's corporate face, he had asked Diana to return to the Patriarch's World. Her golden lariat was the only way they could guarantee the truth about Dick's whereabouts. As much as he cared for the boy, Bruce couldn't sacrifice Kara for Dick but he was not about to doom Dick to the same hell that turned Valerie Beaudry in a monster either.

"Where is he?" Diana asked, her voice calm and almost soothing.

"Go to He….!" Grace started to say when suddenly the words died in her throat and for a moment, she seemed confused at the sudden detachment from her train of thought.

"Where is Richard Grayson, Grace?" Diana repeated herself, hoping that the lasso of truth given to her by the gods of Olympus would prove its worth.

"Gone," Grace said simply, blinking as if she were trying to dispel her fugue state.

Bruce's chest tightened. "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"They took him away," she answered, "Somewhere safe where the Kryptonian wouldn't be able to find him."

"Where is that?" Clark asked this time, seeing Bruce's jaw clench in anger.

"Granny's Orphanage," Grace answered more easily this time, as if the fight if there had been one, was all but gone from her.

"Granny's Orphanage?" Clark exclaimed, wondering if the lariat was making the woman a little crazy. "Where's that?"

"Its where we were all taken," Grace explained, still staring into nothingness, that vague expression solidifying with some focus. "Granny teaches us how to be great warriors so we can fight for Darkseid. The boy was taken there. Granny will make him one of us."

 _Darkseid_.

Bruce remembered the name from six years ago. During the confrontation with Michael Canto, the man had spoken about of his master, a dark god named Darkseid who was searching for something called the Anti-Life Equation. This Darkseid was convinced that Clark's Kryptonian DNA held the answer and was wiling to dissect him to find out. The thought of Dick in the hands of such a monster was more than Bruce could stand.

"You were going to trade him for Kara," Clark spoke, aware that Bruce was too overcome with rage to do so. "How were you going to do that if you plan on making him one of you?"

"We were never going to return him. No one leaves Granny's."

Diana cast a glance at Bruce and Clark, feeling her own anger escalating at this latest bit of intelligence. Who were these people that could not even honour their own terms? "Where is this orphanage?" She demanded.

Grace stared at her and replied without hesitation, "On Apokolips of course."

* * *

They left Grace Goode in her penthouse and returned to the farm after ensuring she revealed everything of value to them, thanks to Diana's lasso of truth.

Grace originated from Apokolips, a savage world where its citizens were bred for war. Her master, a powerful being named Darkseid, ruled over the planet with an iron fist and cultivated a bloodthirsty army within the walls Granny's Orphanage. Children that showed promise were brought to the orphanage and forced to undergo brutal training to mould them into Darkseid's elite.

It was here, that Valerie was taken after Michael Canto abducted her, six years ago and turned into a ruthless killer.

It was also the place where Dick Grayson would be similarly groomed if he were not rescued soon.

Grace's intelligence extended beyond her revelations about Apokolips. More importantly, they learned that Dick was been taken to Apokolips by means of a point to point transport system that spanned stellar space. Grace was able to communicate and travel to Apokolips using a device called a Mother box. Bruce and Clark remembered seeing Canto step through the portal years ago and realised that he must have used the same technology.

Liberating the device from Grace after forcing her to show them how to use it, Bruce dosed Grace with enough stun gas to ensure that she would remain incapacitated for at least a day. This gave them that much time to get to Apokolips before she could raise the alarm.

At farm, Clark found himself facing Kara who had insisted on returning to the Patriarch's World with Diana once she learned what had happened to Dick Grayson. His cousin was determined to help in anyway she could since Dick was abducted because of her.

"But I can help!" Kara insisted as she stood before Clark inside the barn.

"Absolutely not!" Clark declared, wondering how in a space of weeks, the frightened young girl he had found in Miller's Field had become this headstrong teenager. "Kara, we don't know anything about this Apokolips!"

"Kal," she said staring at him with impatience, "I know about space faring races than  _you_  do! My school teachers were Kryptonian!"

Clark frowned because she did have a point there. As much as he might like to think he had the benefits of age, Kara was raised in a Kryptonian city with all the benefits of an education provided by a highly advanced civilisation.

"That doesn't mean anything!" Clark countered refusing to entertain the idea of allowing her anywhere near Apokolips, especially after what had happened to Valerie. "These people have blue kryptonite. Kara, they stripped me of my powers once before, I won't let that happen again, to either of us."

Kara fumed, "Kal, if this place is as dangerous as you say then I should be there! Diana has taught me a lot of about controlling my powers and you could keep me as a secret weapon! I mean I'll go with you and keep out of sight, they won't know I'm there! Please Kal! I don't know this Dick but he's just a little boy and he's kidnapped because of me! I already saw Martha and Lois get hurt, I don't want anyone else to suffer. Please let me help," she pleaded.

Clark wanted to refuse her but then remembered what he had been doing when he was fifteen years old. Hadn't he been rushing headlong into danger without a moment's thought despite Jonathan and Martha Kent's advice to the contrary? How cautious had he been when it came to helping other people.

"Kara, I don't want you to get hurt." Clark tried to make her see reason.

"And I don't want to see you get hurt either," she poked him in the chest. "You're all the family I have in this world. My father and mother sent me here so we could take care of each other! Please Kal, I can't help!"

Kara eyes were glistening with tears and against that, Clark had no damn defence.

"I'm so going to regret this…" Clark shook his head, feeling himself cave into those tears.

"Oh thank you Kal!" She hugged him hard. "I swear I'll stay out of trouble. I won't do anything unless you tell me to! I can help! You'll see! I promise!" She jabbered on and once again, Clark found himself praying he wasn't making a dreadful mistake by agreeing to let her join them on this rescue mission.

Still, he could not ignore the advantage of having another Kryptonian at their side when they ventured into enemy territory.


	14. In Granny's House

 

"He's thin and weak."

The old woman with the gravelly voice, wild white hair and the armour plated clothes looked Dick over with disdain, examining him the way one would examine a horse at market. Without asking, she pinched his forearm, pulling the skin back to illustrate the lack of meat on his bones before eyeing him again. For a moment, Dick had the awful notion she was going to check his teeth or something.

Instead, she broke into a smile that split her face from ear to ear. It was meant to be kindly but made her look maniacal instead, like Jojo, the clown at Haly's who sometimes drank too much and tried to frighten you away from his trailer. Dick hated clowns, there was nothing about them that made you smile.

"Don't worry Dick," she said looking down at him. "We'll pair you up with Doe here and you can two can be my Wonder Twins, Deadly Dick and Dreadful Doe…hmmm," she regarded the young girl standing next to him with a frown. "That's not your name," she declared after a moment. "They were calling you Donna. You will be Dreadful Donna."

Donna glanced at him nervously, not at all liking the moniker that she was just bestowed with. It sounded as terrible as Deadly Dick.

Dick was wrong when he thought Doe or rather Donna was a baby, she wasn't. She was by his guess, maybe six years old. Even so, she was awful pretty with shiny black hair and blue eyes. There were bracelets on wrists, cruel iron things he was sure was biting into her skin. He wondered why she had them when he didn't.

She was also wearing weird clothes, the kind you saw in gladiator movies. It was black and held together with a clasp on her shoulder. There was something about the fabric though. If you looked at it hard enough, it sort of glittered. Like the stars.

Donna looked frightened and he wished he knew how to console her but after seeing where they were, he wasn't sure if he could managed to be comforting when what he saw scared him much as her.

They were taken out of their cells and brought out into this large courtyard. Dick had been living on the hope that once he knew where he was, he could figure out how to escape. Except once they were outside in the open and Dick was able to see where they were, he realised that hope was a child's fantasy.

There was no escape.

Dick raised his eyes to the sky and knew immediately, he wasn't on Earth anymore. His young mind couldn't process how that had come to pass but the proof of it was undeniable. Gazing up into the amber sky filled with ash and smoke, against a hellish backdrop of grim looking buildings and smoke stacks so big and wide, they resembled mountains. Even more incredible was the lack of a moon in the sky. He couldn't see it and the sky was amber, not like evening but like there whole planet glowed like a hot piece of coal.

Above them were spaceships! Not just spaceships but men wearing some kind of armour, with wings. It was like he'd woken up into a futuristic space movie like Star Wars, except this was real. It wasn't a dream. It was worse than a dream, he realised as he saw the cruel world he found himself—it was hell.

"Now you're going to show Granny what you got and maybe, maybe you'll get to live long enough to serve."

"Serve who?" Dick finally found courage enough to ask though he regrated it as soon as he spoke the words but by then it was too late and he continued talking, "Where are we?"

Granny shot him a look of venom that dissipated quickly back into her smile, though it still appeared cold and humourless. "So many questions little Dickie, maybe if you do well, I'll answer them!" She said sharply.

Dick flinched sensing real menace in her words and wished he hadn't said anything at all.

Donna reached for his hand and held it, trying to offer some comfort. They had kept each other company all night and though it was the first time he saw her face, their captivity had created a bond between them.

The gesture was not lost on Granny who did not like the show of sentiment one damn bit. She narrowed her eyes and lashed out, striking Donna across the cheek, hard enough to send the little girl sprawling.

"STOP IT!" Dick shouted and turned towards Donna when Granny's arm clamped around his arm and dragged him away from her.

"I won't have any weakness in my children!" She hauled Dick away from Donna who was still on the ground, too dazed to be aware of what was going on.

Dick tried to break free but his struggles were no match for the woman whose grip was like iron. She took him to the edge of the courtyard where an opening into the ground waited. Guessing what she intended, he fought harder and harder, not all liking what might be waiting for him in the darkness.

"Let me go!" He demanded futilely only to hear her mocking laughter in his ears a second before she flung him towards the maw into the dark.

Dick landed on the cold of a metal chute and slide down the narrow ramp into the depths. The last thing he saw before the sky disappeared above him was Granny looking down at him, grinning.

* * *

Lois never imagined that there could be anything worse than losing Clark to the fortress, until now.

As she stood within in the shadows of the cave beneath Wayne Manor, preparing to send Clark, Kara, Bruce and Diana to the world that had swallowed Valerie Beaudry whole, she tried not to feel afraid or so terribly human. More than anything, she wanted to be able to go with Clark through the portal to help retrieve Dick but she was smart enough to realised she'd only get in the way. Where they were going was dangerous enough for Clark without her becoming a liability by his need to keep her safe. She could do something by staying behind and looking after Alfred.

No matter how hard it was.

"Pick me up a souvenir Smallville," Lois said to him, hiding her anxiety beneath her usual flippancy.

Clark saw through it of course. Before they were even a couple in Smallville, he learned to recognise her tells. Life with the General had conditioned Lois to always hide her feelings, to show no weakness to a father who had little patience for it. That and helping raise Lucy ensured Lois project a façade of control even when she hiding anguish. Clark had learned to see through the cracks that sometimes appeared, to see a vulnerable and insecure woman who wasn't always as sure of herself as she'd like everyone to believe.

"I will," he said leaning over and kissing her gently on the mouth. He savoured the kiss, took it in and stored it in the heart, a keepsake he could use to remind himself of her and home. It would be the impetus that would drive him to get back to her. "We'll be back. I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Lois swallowed thickly, trying to sound hopeful when her head was filled with thoughts about Valerie and what had happened to her on the other side of the portal. "Come back to me," she said as he held her in his arms.

"Nothing would keep me away," he replied gently before pulling himself out of her embrace. He wished he could assure that this wasn't as dangerous as it appeared but he couldn't.

"Don't worry Lois," Kara stepped forward, trying to lift the mood because she could see Lois was hurting. She hated that Kal had to risk his life because of her when everyone had been so kind to her since arriving on Earth.

"I'll make sure he's safe." She said firmly, her chin rose in defiance.

Since returning from Themiscyra, Lois noticed a definite change in Kara. The Amazons' teachings had shown the girl the power she possessed, giving Kara the courage she needed to step out of her frightened shell. The waif who lashed out at their assailants in Smallville was gone. Here was a confident young woman, perhaps requiring a little combat to temper that enthusiasm, but no longer lost or certain of her place among them.

Lois couldn't help smile at the girl's earnestness. It was so reminiscent of the Clark she met when she first arrived in Smallville.

"Thanks Half-Pint. I know Mrs Kent isn't here but if she were, she'd be telling you to be careful. Stay on script okay kid?"

"She will," Clark frowned, still in two minds about taking Kara with them on this trip. She was powerful but then again, the people on the other side of that portal had rendered Clark powerless once. It was not an experience he wanted to repeat and certainly not one he wanted to see inflicted on Kara.

"I'll be good," Kara nodded, her eagerness settling into understanding. "I want to help the boy. He's in trouble because of me and I wouldn't feel right if I couldn't do something to make it right."

Her sincerity was so very much a part of the Kent DNA. Whether or not she knew, it Kara shared more in common with her cousin than just their Kryptonian heritage and powers. She had his heart too.

"Okay," Lois brushed a strand of hair out of Kara's face and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. "Come back safe, the both of you."

* * *

Behind them, Bruce looked away, giving them their privacy even though he was impatient to leave. His mind kept looping back to Grace's words, that Dick was even now, being moulded into an efficient killer. He didn't want that for the boy, didn't want Dick to lose his childhood any more than he already had. He took in Dick to prevent that very thing, to temper his rage and salvage some part of the person he'd been before that terrible night at the circus.

Bruce wanted some part of Robin Redbreast left.

"He'll be safe Bruce," he felt Diana's fingers slipping against his gauntlet to clutch his hands.

Bruce blinked and saw the beautiful Amazon Princess who for some unfathomable reason loved him. Probably the same reason as a Chloe, he thought. While they were two very different women, it was their heart and optimism that connected them. Both had the ability to reach into his often closed off heart and beam sunshine into his soul. Until he met Chloe, Bruce never realised how much he needed the light and what losing her would do to him.

Then Diana entered his life, a hero in her own right, powerful beyond measure and dazzlingly beautiful but at the core of her, was her heart. No woman that beautiful had any reason to be kind or compassionate but she was. Diana's greatest power, whether she knew it, was her capacity for understanding and love. She made people feel good about themselves because she had faith in them. He sometimes worried that the ugliness of the world would sully that naiveté but Diana seemed immune to it, holding steadfast to the belief that everyone had the capacity for kindness.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," he answered, aware that she had her own adventures and her own enemies to fight but she had dropped everything and come when he asked. If it wasn't for Diana, Kara wouldn't ready be in Valerie's hands and both Lois and Martha Kent would be dead. Then again, he had no doubt that should she make the request of him, he would be at her side too.

"A child is in trouble. A child you care for, I might add. I would be here no matter what. We will find him Bruce, we have been to Tartarus and prevailed. At least this place is in the mortal realm."

"I admire your ability to make the distinction," Bruce almost smiled beneath the cowl. "I need to bring him home. It's not too late for him like it was for me. The first time I saw him, he bounced around like a beam of light. He was…."

"Enchanting?" She finished off for him. "I did not grow up with other children but since being in the Patriarch's World, I have seen many and yes, they are enchanting. I understand at last why I was spoiled so terribly by my mother and sisters."

Kara's presence on Themiscyra, even for a few weeks had a similar effect. The lack of men meant no children were born on the island but that didn't dull the maternal instinct. Diana wondered after being in the Patriarch's World where so many children, particularly girls, were left in terrible circumstances, whether the key to their salvation might be on Themiscyra. The Amazons would love nothing more than to have children to teach and nurture. Perhaps there was something Diana could do to satisfy that desire and give a new lease on life to forgotten children.

It was a question for another time.

"I can understand that," Bruce stared at her through the white slits of the cowl with affection and was rewarded by that dazzling smile.

Diana kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled back, aware that he was uncomfortable with such displays when he was in the cowl, even in this vulnerable state.

Clearing his throat almost sheepishly, Bruce turned to Clark and Kara, "We need to get going. "

* * *

Something was breathing in dark with him.

He could hear the snort of its nostrils as he got to his feet. The ramp deposited him at the bottom of the chute when he finally came to a stop almost a full minute later. Dick glanced up and saw the pinprick of light that was the sky of this hellish world. He spent a few futile minutes trying to climb back up the ramp but it was too slippery and steep. Dick kept sliding back down again, landing on the hard rock of the ground and driving home the realisation that it was no way out.

He could see light up ahead but its source was distant and barely penetrating the darkness surrounding him. The faint light illuminated the ceiling and little else. The ground beneath him was some kind of smooth rock. He felt hard under his bare feet. He could feel the cold from the surface running up his body from the soles. Dick shivered when it reached the centre of his back. He was inside a cavern of some kind.

It was then he heard the snort of something alive followed by its slow, stealthy movements as it stalked him.

Dick froze, being around enough circus animals in life to recognise the sound. Even if it was unlikely it was a creature like Sher Khan, the tiger from his Haly's, he knew without doubt it was an it, not a who. He spent hours watching the animal during rehearsal and knew the sounds its paws made against the sawdust. The thing in here with him made the exact same sound.

Trying not to let his fear get the better of him, Dick stared at the light ahead and started to move slowly away from the monster. When he took a step forward, the thing in the dark moved too. His heart turned cold in his chest and a fear so paralysing gripped him that taking the next step felt next to impossible.

Don't panic! Batman's not afraid of the dark! He uses it!

He used it to move around and that's what Dick had to do. The dark knight promised to find his parent's killer and that meant he was a good guy, someone Dick could trust. Like Mr. Wayne and Alfred. All of a sudden a surge of longing ran through him. Dick realised he wanted badly to see both men again. His parents were gone but Mr. Wayne and Alfred cared about him. Maybe even loved him.

In the dark with the monster, that understanding infused him with more courage than he imagined possible. It forced Dick to grit his teeth and started moving again.

His movements were slow and deliberate so as to maintain the illusion that he wasn't afraid or aware that he was being followed. The terror running through him was like blood pulsing through his veins. Dick stood on the knife's edge between calm and panic for several torturous minutes as he approached the light. His bare feet made no sound against the stone floor. He supposed that was some consolation he supposed unlike the monster that was not so quiet. Big paws slapped against the rock as it continued to stalk him.

When Dick got close enough, he saw the light was emanating from an open doorway. It poured out like a beacon, illuminating the darkness and confirmed that Dick was indeed in some great cavern. It also showed him what was following behind him.

It was a dog.

At least it looked like a dog but if so, it was the biggest one that Dick had ever seen. It was almost the size of a bear. Next to it, Dick felt small and insignificant. With a russet pelt and a collar with spikes wrapped around its neck, the beast glared at him menacingly with ears pricked up. Its panting kept its jaws parted and Dick caught sight of large, fingers-sized sharp teeth. A glance was all his sanity could manage before his nerve gave away completely.

He didn't even realised he was running until his feet were already moving.

Breaking into a sudden sprint was exactly what the creature had been waiting for and it immediately took up the chase. Dick didn't dare to look behind him as he heard its paws pounding against the floor behind him. The monster was growling and Dick imagined feeling its warm breath against his neck. Fortunately, he still had presence of mind to not lose his senses completely and he ran like he never ran before.

 _Run, Dick, Run!_  He imagined his dad telling him.  _RUN!_

Heart pounding, Dick poured every ounce of terror into his legs and reached the doorway soon after. It was more than big enough to let the creature through and Dick knew reaching it did not offer salvation, the monster would follow him through. It would catch up, he thought with horror. No sooner than he crossed the threshold however, the creature came to an abrupt halt as if it could not pass.

What relief Dick took from this was brief because no sooner than he had entered the new chamber, his presence prompted some mechanism into operation. The grey room, this time resembling the engine room, inside a big oil tanker or something was brightly lit but Dick did not miss the stench or the stains of blood on the walls and the floor. He heard something over his head and stepped back just as giant mashers emerged from the ceiling and slammed hard against the floor, making his teeth chatter on impact.

Dick took a step backwards towards the doorway when he heard the growl of the monster behind him. Trapped between the danger in the cavern and the death trap in the chamber, Dick saw the masher retract into the ceiling before dropping again, with only a gap of seconds before starting the cycle again.

Beyond the mashers, metal spikes protruded from each side of the walls, meeting each other in the middle in similar deadly fashion as the mashers. Always with a gap. Beyond them were blasts of flames from unseen jets in the grey wall. Dick stared at it in horror and realised he had nowhere to run. He either went forward or backward and both directions meant death.

Breathing hard and standing in front of him, Dick knew he had no choice. He was going to have to go through. He didn't have much time to consider how he was going to get through but he was an acrobat who understood the importance of timing. Reminding himself that as a member of the Flying Grayson, he had made quick decision regarding when it when it was safe to jump and when it was not. This was no different.

He watched the mashers come up and down a few seconds, counted under his breath the number of seconds he had to get though. The spikes were slower and they were thick. They did damage if you tried to run through them, Dick told himself. Finally, he took a deep breath and darted forward, just as the mashers hit the floor. By the time they pulled up, he was right beneath them and sprinted across before they came down again.

The spikes were waiting for him. Dick grabbed onto one while it was fully extended and using his acrobatic skills, clambered over them as they were pulling back. He was almost half way past them when they retreated into the wall for a second before beginning their speedy emergence. He used the time to clear them.

Once across, he saw the jets of flame flaring across the wall and knew that he had no choice, he would have to make a run for it. He couldn't see what was on the other side but he didn't care, he'd gotten this far. He was ready for what was there too. He could do this. Batman was a regular guy but he was able to dodge bullets and take down bad guys, so Dick could do this too. Bracing himself, Dick bolted forward.

The heat rushed over him. There was pain. His soles screamed against the hot floor but he couldn't let that stop him. He remembered Henri the Firewalker. Henri was always fast and Dick knew to get past this, he had to be faster. He ran forward, felt the flames wash over him, felt the heat through his pyjamas. Don't think, just run. RUN, DICK, RUN! Reaching the other end, he saw lasers beams crisscrossing the long corridor as if waiting for a target, searching the floor.

Without thinking, he continued to run and didn't stop as he put more power into his strides that gave him enough speed to launch into a series of somersaults. The lasers tried to reacquire the target but Dick switched into cartwheels for a short distance before switching back to somersault and forcing the computers to recalibrate once more.

Dick felt something singe the back of his leg and it brought him down but he managed to get to his feet because he was almost there. This time, he ran but moved diagonally. At one point, he jumped against the wall and used his good leg to propel him to the edge of the corridor, beyond the reach of the weapons.

When he left the corridor, he was once again shrouded in darkness but before he could take stock of his surroundings, he heard the slamming of a door behind him. Spinning around, he saw a cage door locking and with sinking sensation, realised he had run straight into the cage that was positioned at the mouth of corridor. He was trapped like an animal once again. Light flooded the area and Dick was able to see the steel cage that surrounded him.

Peering at him through the bar was Granny.

She was smiling and Dick didn't know if this was a good thing or not. Was she glad that he hadn't been killed so she could do it herself? As she drew in closer, Dick shrank back until his back was pressed against the bars. He was in pain, his leg hurt real bad and he knew his skin was burnt. He was trapped again. The anguish at that was more than he could bear.

 _But I made it through!_ A small voice inside his head wailed in protest.  _I escaped!_

"Well done my Deadly Dick," Granny said with a wide grin. "I expected you to be eaten up by my darling demon dog but you managed to survive the entire course! You're the only one who's managed to do that since we had High Father's little whelp here."

A test, this was all a test? Tests weren't supposed to get you killed. You got marks or gold stars! You didn't get dead! What kind of crazy place was this?

Pain and fear made Dick bold and he burst out in anger. "You did this just to test me?" He demanded, properly provoked into a self-righteous fury.

"Of course we did and you performed splendidly!" Granny complimented, not at all upset by the question. In fact the obstacle course, which was standard for all recruits, appeared to have brought out the boy's truth worth, not to mention his spirit. Almost all the children who ran The Gauntlet never survived or if they did, what emerged on the other side was of no use to her anyway, but this boy…

This boy had  _potential_.

"What am I being tested for?" Dick asked confused by all this. Was that why they had abducted him?

Now that the boy had some value, Granny was happy to answer his questions. "To become one of Darkseid's Elite of course."


	15. Apokolips Now

When Grace Good called this world Apokolips, Clark was convinced it was merely a tool to make the world sound more menacing to its enemies. After all, a world called Apokolips conjured images of a hell with fire and brimstone, crumbling cities and writhing bodies. His presumption ended the instant he, Kara, Diana and Bruce stepped through the portal.

The name was absolutely appropriate.

The grey, concrete like roof they emerged upon gave them a bird's eye view of a world that could have what Dante Alighieri imagined when he first put pen to his Divine Comedy. Clark had never imagined hell as a real place even though he thought there were parts of Gotham City that sometimes felt like it. It was still was nothing like this world.

Even as he stood there, the oppressive nature of the place pressed down on his shoulders like a great weight. He breathed in its darkness and shuddered at the chill it created down its spine.

As Clark scanned the landscape as far as his enhanced vision would allow, he discovered a sprawling city that might very well cover the entire planet like a gauntlet of iron and rock. There were no signs of natural vegetation, waterways or even mountains. Not one trace of natural terrain existed. What this world might have been was buried beneath a vast, mechanised ecumenopolis.

The air was barely breathable as gaping wounds of molten fire, surrounded by high containment walls, spewed ash and smoke into the air across the landscape. Clark suspected those fissures of volcanic heat covered the entire planet's surface. As a result of the fire pits, a deep amber sky, probably red during the night, glared down at them from above. There were no clouds that might bring life-giving rain, only dark puffs of smoke.

If there were stars above, Clark could not see them through the toxic atmosphere.

Despite the foreboding nature of the city, it was clear that a highly advanced society existed here. Even as he scanned the city, he could hear the evidence of heavy industrialization by the constant humming of machinery in the background. Transport vehicles flew across the skyline in the same fashion that cars sped up and down the highways while soldiers, borne by powered harnesses across their backs, patrolled the sky, armed with exotic weapons.

At the epicentre of all this however, was the towering fortress that stood above every other structure in the city. Like an ancient gothic castle, with a mixture of jagged and needle sharp spires that stabbed at the sky, it was surrounded by high walls, buttressed by ramparts and sealed with enormous iron gates. Overlooking the city from this monument was the carved statue of a being Clark knew without doubt to be Grace Good's master.

This was Darkseid.

"Jesus Christ," Clark whispered staring at the dark god he never wanted to meet. Clark didn't scare easily but if this statue of Darkseid was intimidating enough without having to meet the actual entity face to face.

He was not alone in feelings about the city because when he glanced at Diana who seemed to be surveying the landscape, he could empathise with the expression of dread on her lovely features.

"This world makes Tartarus seems kinder in comparison," Diana said tearing her gaze away from the metropolis, unable to reconcile herself with the idea of this place being home to anyone.

Kara and Bruce did not seem as affected Clark noticed. The teenager's nose was wrinkled in disgust but its impact on her didn't seem as marked. If anything, the expression of her face reminded Clark of those times when Martha would drag him along to visit a sick relative or worse yet, go shopping for shoes when he would rather be hanging out with his friends.

"Yeah it's pretty awful," Kara shrugged, not bothered by what she was seeing because at school in Kandor, she'd studied about alien races. Not every world was pretty by their standards and this one resembled a typical totalitarian society, like the Khunds or the Dominators. She stepped to the edge of the roof and squinted in the direction of the pits, even though she had the same enhanced vision as him. "It looks like they've got anti-grav tech and I think those pit things drawi power from the planet's core."

All three stared at her.

"Kara, you are familiar with these technologies?" The girl's abilities now that she was drawn out of her shell continued to impress Diana and she was secretly proud at how far Kara had come in such a short time.

"Oh yeah," she tossed Diana a smile and answered the Princess as if it was common knowledge. "I grew up on Kandor. We learned all about alien cultures in xeno-anthropology class. Although on Kandor, we used Zero Point energy, not this clunky stuff."

Like Kara, Bruce was unfazed by this city because he'd been living with its primitive counterpart on Earth for years. Gotham was not all that different from this Apokolips. At night, the urban sprawl of that city was like a jungle and those who moved through its alleys and dark corners did so at their own peril. On every street corner and in every abandoned building, there were human monsters lurking in the shadows. As far as Bruce was concerned, the only difference between this world and Gotham was geography.

"We should get moving," he said shortly, turning to the others after he'd conducted his own observations. While they were studying the city, he was examining the roof of the building they were standing on. Within seconds of their arrival, he had already determined where the exit was and how close it was to the next building if he needed to leave quickly.

"Agreed," Clark answered. "Everything about this place tells me we need to find Dick and get the hell out of here. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to be."

Clark was uneasy, Bruce realised. It took quite a bit to shake the Kryptonian's square-jawed resolve and anything that might unsettle Clark Kent was something they did not want to encounter. Besides, he agreed with Clark. The sooner they found Dick the better.

The idea of Dick being condemned to remain in this terrible world if they failed to rescue him was a failure Bruce couldn't even begin to process. Upon seeing this place, he understood what forces shaped Valerie Beaudry from the shy, young woman they knew to the villainess that was willing to bring down a plane to escape. This world turned people into killers and Bruce would die before allowing the same thing to happen to Dick.

"Grace said this 'Mother Box' would take us where we needed to go," Bruce explained as he studied the odd device resembling a futuristic version of a smart phone. "If that's true then this building should be the orphanage she talked about. Clark can you scan what's beneath us and make sure we're in the right place?"

"On it," Clark replied automatically glad for Bruce's direction. Lowering his gaze to the grey, steel-plated floor, he focussed his X-ray vision and began searching.

What he saw horrified him as much as everything else in this world. This orphanage that was apparently home to alien children of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers resembled a dystopian version of a Dickensian workhouse. The upper levels of the building were segmented into rooms or rather cells, where the children were kept like prisoners. The further down he went, he saw the facilities that were designed to turn them into highly efficient killers.

Tutors in classrooms bombarded the children with gruesome images of death and deadly obstacle courses that were designed to put them through brutal tests of endurance. They fought holographic opponents in savage simulated environments or worse yet, they fought each other. He saw them pummelling each other in combat that left them bleeding and broken.

If this was what they put their children through, then what did they force Valerie to endure?

Clark had to ignore all this or else he'd never find Dick. Recalibrating his search, it didn't take him long to find the boy once he did so. Fortunately, Dick was not undergoing one of these trials but was instead trapped in a cell. The boy was huddled on his bunk, hugging his knees to his chest.

 _He was so young_ , Clark thought and was immediately reminded of Ryan James, the young boy who had been like a brother to him. The boy's death had devastated him and seeing Dick with his leg wrapped in mid-thigh because of an injury infuriated Clark. Had they made him go through one of those obstacle courses?

"Clark?" Bruce demanded at the sight of his jaw clenching.

"He's here," Clark said shortly. "Three levels down. He's hurt but not badly I think. This isn't an orphanage, it's a training camp. There a hundreds of children here."

"If this place turns children into monsters such as the one who almost killed Martha Kent and Lois, we cannot abandon them." Yet even as she said those words, Clark saw the dismay that settled in once the reality of the situation sunk in.

"We may not be able to save them all Diana. We will be lucky to get Dick out as it is." Bruce hoped she understood he wasn't being selfish but a realist. This planet had technology beyond their comprehension and during their last encounter with its inhabitants on Earth; both he and Clark were nearly killed. He wasn't about to underestimate them on their home soil.

"We must at least try," Diana insisted but Bruce could hear the wavering in her voice as the truth settled over her.

"Diana," Clark said gently, knowing they all shared the desire to save others but they were each of them out of their depth on this world and they knew it. "We'll do what we can but right now, we need to get to Dick first."

Leaving the grownups to their 'discussion', Kara scanned the sky, trying to do something useful in the meantime. Kal had already surveyed the building so she kept watch on the sky. These people must possess some kind of surveillance tech to keep watch on portals opening up on their world. She could not imagine them not taking safeguards with the existence of such technology. It did not take long for her to see that her instincts were right.

"I think they know we're here!" Kara announced sharply to the others, silencing their debate in mid sentence.

Following her gaze, Clark saw a swarm of soldiers flying toward them, led by familiar faces on the transport leading the charge. The two women who attacked Martha and Lois were accompanied by a large, brutish man wearing futuristic armour and carrying what appeared to be a mace. Only Valerie was in the air flanking the transport, her wings flapping as she glided toward them.

"Clark, can you and Diana hold them off?" Bruce asked quickly, assessing the situation and laying down a hasty plan.

"Yeah," Clark answered, guessing what he intended. "You and Kara go get Dick. We'll keep them distracted for as long as we can."

"But Kal!" Kara protested immediately, not liking the idea of turning tail and running when her cousin might need her help.

"No arguments Kara," Clark said firmly. "They may not know you're here and I want to keep that advantage to ourselves for as long as we can."

"Kara, go now," Diana insisted as the attack force closed in.

Kara frowned and nodded unhappily, turning around to see where Bruce was only to find that he was already crossing the floor towards the exit.

The Batman would have preferred to do this himself but he could not ignore that just like Clark and Diana, he was out of his depth. Utilising Kara's abilities to retrieve Dick would be safer than the girl attempting to engage the forces approaching in combat. Despite her strength, she was still untested and this was too steep a learning curve for her first fight.

"Come on," Bruce said to Kara when she reached him, "we don't have a lot of time."

Somehow he suspected that Clark and Diana were only facing the first wave.

After what Michael Kanto had said, there was every chance that Darkseid himself might make an appearance for opportunity of capturing Clark.

* * *

The transport holding the women Clark had come to know as Lashina and Mad Harriet sped towards them and was less than a hundred feet away from the roof's edge. While he knew that he could overcome these two quickly, the man with them made Clark cautious. The man towered over Lashina with brutish features that looked savage and menacing. Something had come through the portal seven years ago, an energy beam more powerful than anything he had ever experienced had almost killed him. If this man had access to that power, then Clark had reason for threading carefully.

"Don't attack until they show their hand Diana," Clark warned. "We don't know what these people are capable of but seven years ago, they knew how to take away my powers."

"Great Gaea," Diana whispered because there were few things that could harm the last son of Krypton and anything that could strip him of his great strength was nothing to take lightly. "I will follow your lead Kal but once we fight, we cannot give them quarter. If these people are as dangerous as you say, then it is us or them."

While Clark would never consciously kill anyone, he also knew that circumstances might not give him that choice and he accepted Diana's advice as something to consider.

"I understand," Clark answered although he was not agreeing to nothing yet. "We just need to stall them long enough for Bruce and Kara to get Dick so we can get out of here."

He concluded that statement in time for Valerie and his friends to finally reach them. The transport hovered a few feet away from the roof and a quick scan over his shoulder left him satisfied that Bruce and Kara were nowhere in sight. He noted that the distance from the transport and the edge of the roof was close enough for its occupants to make the jump across. Meanwhile, the soldiers in the air broke formation and quickly spread out to encircle the roof, their weapons poised to fire.

"Well, well, well," Lashina exclaimed, glaring at them both. "We intended to carry out business on Earth and were quite surprised when our sensors indicated a boom tube had opened from Earth. We thought our Amazing Grace was coming home. Imagine our surprise to find you three instead."

 _Three_ , Clark let out an inward sigh of relief. They didn't know about Kara.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Clark said politely, using his typical mid-Western affability which seemed so alien compared to Lashina's mocking tone. "We're here to get the boy. This doesn't have to get ugly but if you try to stop us, you'll get hurt."

The response came not from Lashina but the man at her side. His voice was gravelly and deep as he spoke and his eyes fixed on Clark with unmistakable challenge.

"Then hurt us, Kryptonian."

The man launched himself off the platform with surprising speed and landed within a foot of Clark, swinging the mace before his feet even touched the ground. It cackled with energy as it struck Clark in the gut and the power behind it was enough to lift the Kryptonian off his feet and send him crashing into a nearby wall.

Stunned, especially when the pain from the blow was far more intense than anything he had felt in recent times, Clark needed a moment to regain his equilibrium. His attacker did not give him a moment to catch his breath and immediately rushed at him again. This time however, Clark recovered faster. His recent battle with Ixion had improved his ability to take substantial hits and knowing the capability of this opponent, allowed him to react in kind.

"Kal!" Diana cried out when she saw the attack on Clark but had no opportunity to intervene because Lashina swung into action. A crack of sound ripped through the air and something coiled around her throat. Lashina's whip burned her skin but Diana who was more accustomed to pain than Kal reacted quickly.

Grabbing the whip, she yanked it back hard and would have dragged Lashina off the transport if the woman hadn't wisely let go. The whip went slack in Diana's grip as she launched herself into the air, flying to intercept the vehicle.

Lashina got to her feet to see the Amazon flying toward them and shouted to the troops. "ATTACK!"

The soldiers who were waiting for the order to fire, unleashed a deadly barrage of energy at Diana who found herself being struck on all sides. The sheer number of them made it impossible to deflect them all, though she did try. The bracelets, fashioned by a god, were more than capable of absorbing and deflecting the beams but there were still too many of them.

Taking advantage of the Amazons' brief preoccupation, Lashina turned to Mad Harriet who was itching to get into the fight but no match for either opponent. Even the Swan was unable to intercept the Amazon without wandering into the parademons line of fire and using her voice was not an option either.

"Go after the other one!" Lashina ordered.

"The other one?" Harriet stared at her blankly. The Fury was already disappointed at not having a second chance at the Amazon but she was somewhat puzzled because the  _other one_  was the Kryptonian. Even Mad Harriet wasn't insane enough to get between Kalibak and his prey.

"If these two are here then the Batman is here too! He'll be trying to reach the boy!"

"Oooh," Harriet grinned, liking the odds in  _that_  fight. Leaping off the transport, she landed on the roof and rolled onto her knees. "I get to play with the Bat!"

Despite the commotion, Diana heard Mad Harriet's gleeful exclamation and realised that the insane creature was going after Bruce. If she did so, she would not only intercept him on the way to rescuing Dick but also discover Kara. Diana had no doubt that the entire planet would be mobilised to retrieve the young girl once that fact came to light.

Deflecting more bolts of energy out of her way, she tried to intervene but was hindered by the lash of another whip in her direction. Fortunately Diana saw it before it struck and she veered out of the way. It struck harmlessly at the space where she had been occupying a short time ago.

Rethinking her strategy, Diana noted that Valerie had yet to use her powers although she was flying to intercept Diana in the air. Realising that Valerie could not use her powers without compromising the soldiers in the battle, an idea formed in her head. Eyes narrowing with calculation, the Amazon accelerated in a burst of speed that created a sonic boom.

The sound distracted Valerie and Diana wasted no time, taking advantage of her momentary lapse. There were too many soldiers in the air and even though she had yet to see the progress of Kal's confrontation with the man, their blows against each other exploded like artillery shells. Speeding forward, she slammed into Valerie and drove her into a nearby building with enough force to shatter masonry beneath the female Fury.

Valerie uttered a disorientated cry of pain but still did not use her power. Diana threw a fist at her, her knuckles making contact with Valerie's chin. Had she desired it, Diana could have easily put her first through Valerie's skull because for all her enhancements, Valerie was  _still_  human. However that was not what Diana had in mind. She had no use for Valerie unconscious.

Diana needed her angry.

* * *

Bruce didn't need Kara's super hearing to know that beyond the walls of the orphanage, a ferocious battle was raging, the outcome of which was still uncertain. As much as he thought of both Clark's and Diana's abilities, the forces arrayed against them were formidable. He and Kara had little time to waste in retrieving Dick Grayson.

The battle alerted every security system in the building and klaxons screamed their warning through the air. The ferocity of the fighting was causing the structure to shudder, sending tremors through the rock and causing lights to flicker as electronic systems were disrupted from assault of concussive force. Whatever stealth Bruce hoped to use in order to reach Dick's cell was lost as more and more troops began to appear in the corridors leading to the level Dick was presently imprisoned. There were enough corners and shadows for him to hide with Kara but it wouldn't be long before the corridor would be filled with soldiers.

Thinking quickly, Bruce knew he had to find another way and while he so wanted to be the one to rescue Dick, at this moment, his ego would have to take a backseat to the best course of action.

"Kara," Bruce turned to her while they took refuge in what appeared to be alcove for a security station, "can you see him? Can you see Dick?" He asked in a whisper.

Puzzled by the reason for the request, she complied nonetheless. "I can try," she answered back just as quietly.

She was still becoming accustomed to using her X-ray vision but Martha's instruction during their time on Themiscyra had helped her refine it. Apparently the woman helped Kal in the same way when he first developed this power and Kara was grateful for the instruction. She was no longer seeing everyone as a walking collection of blood, fluids and bone. Even better, she wasn't seeing them  _naked_.

Concentrating, she stared at the floor and immediately saw the steel becoming translucent before disappearing entirely to show her the level beneath. Her stomach hollowed as she saw the other prisoners being held captive in this place and wished more than anything that she could help them. However she knew that they could only do so much and their objective was to get the boy who was taken because of her.

It did not take her long to find him because Bruce showed her his picture when they were at the mansion in Gotham. Seeing him in real life was even more disturbed. She understood why Bruce wanted him back so badly.

He was just a little boy.

"I see him!" She exclaimed triumphantly and then reminded herself to keep her voice lowered. "I see him," she repeated herself, trying not to smile despite the situation.

"Alright," Bruce replied, exhaling loudly to say the words he wished he did not have to but Dick's life came first above all else. "Kara, you can move at super speed. I want you to leave me and go get him. I'll be right behind you but you need to reach him first."

Kara's eyes widened and her face showed her anxiety at the request. At that moment, Bruce remembered how young she was too. While she may be able to juggle cars like tennis balls, at the heart of her was a fifteen year old girl who had just discovered her powers.

"But…but…" Kara started to protest. She wasn't ready to be on her own and he was just a regular human. She had to keep him safe too. "But I don't want to leave you!" She burst out.

"I can take care of myself," he replied, astute enough to see the worry beneath her protests as well as the genuine concern for his safety. "You need to get to Dick first. If you do this right, you'll be there and back before anyone knows what happened."

"I don't want anything to happen to you," she continued to argue. "You're Diana's boyfriend. If I let you get hurt…"

It was very hard to maintain his grim façade with someone was calling him that but Bruce managed nonetheless. "Kara," he said firmly, "I need you to do this.  _Please_."

"Okay, okay, I'll do it," Kara grumbled not at all liking the idea of leaving him. Kal said the Batman was the smartest person he knew but he was human and in her eyes, vulnerable. Still, she had to believe he knew what he was doing and she was too new at this to second guess him. Besides, he was right about one thing; she could get there faster.

Stepping away, she cast him a glance and made a parting request, "Try to catch up."

With that, she sped away in a burst of acceleration that had his cape billowing behind him as she disappeared in a streak down the hallway.

* * *

Emerging from the alcove after she vanished, Bruce continued down the corridor and found that the ceilings of these passages were largely exposed, crammed with conduits, wires and thick piping he assumed was for sewerage and water. The floor was constructed with steel deck plates that conducted sound quite efficiently, particularly when jackboots were marching against it. It allowed Bruce was able to hear the guards before he actually saw them.

When he heard the stomping approach by the gatekeepers of this so-called orphanage, Bruce took refuge within the maze of wires and conduits until they passed beneath him. Some of them were transporting children back to their cells and though these kids did not appear to be human, Bruce could still tell they were young. Despite his earlier pragmatism at being unable to save all the children here, seeing them made him less comfortable about the decision.

After the passing of another trio of guards, Bruce was about to lower himself back into the corridor when suddenly he heard a cackling laugh with an altogether unsettling familiarity.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," a female voice reeking with madness taunted him from further along the passageway. "I know you're here Batboy! Show yourself so Mad Harriet can play!"

Bruce let out a sigh. Why did  _he_  always get the crazy ones?


	16. New Gods

Control.

His whole life could be distilled into that one word. For as long as he could remember, he had to learn it, fear it and most of all never lose his grip on it. In Smallville, learning control of his powers, even when new ones seemed to appear every other week once he hit puberty, had been an absolute must. In a small community of farmers where gossip was almost as much a crop as corn, he had no choice. Control was necessary to continue the idyllic childhood he shared as Martha and Jonathan Kent's son.

Later on, when he discovered he was in actually fact, the child of Jor-El of Krypton, control took on another meaning. His father, or rather the computer matrix in the fortress, sought to control him by throwing one manner of trial after another at him. All of which were designed to make him stronger and more Kryptonian. It took years for him to understand that the matrix was in actual fact trying to teach him but was piss poor at explaining it.

Thanks to Jor-El, Clark had finally learned how to control his great powers so that he wouldn't be moving through his life like a bull in a china shop, breaking everything and everyone in sight. In recent years however, Clark discovered that there was one more lesson he needed to learn about control and that was how to let go of it.

When the punch connected with his jaw, he was propelled through the air, off the roof and into the street below. He hit the ground at full force, ploughing through metal and stone, creating furrow lines before skidding to a stop. The pain was fleeting and he shook his head, shedding the disorientation when he heard the shudder against the ground of his opponent landing a few feet away from him.

"This is barely challenging," he sneered, his mouth pulled back to revealed big teeth that reminded Clark of a cow's. "I thought Kryptonians were supposed to be stronger."

Clark ignored the taunt and glanced at the sky behind him to see Diana doing battle with the soldiers and the rest of this man's companions. He had to get up there and help her but first he needed to deal with this.

Dusting himself off, he glared at the man and threw back a reply, "I'm not here to be a challenge."

Clark launched himself forward at super speed, moving so fast that he was little more than a red blue streak to the naked eye. The man never saw the punch that connected with his gut and flung him into a wall and then through it. Brick and mortar crumbled as the force of the blow continued to propel him through wall after wall until the building itself was in real danger of collapsing.

Clark had no idea whose dwelling it was and scanned it to ensure that its occupants were gone. Fortunately they had wisely chosen to scatter when they realised how close they were to the fighting. The Apokoliptan had emerged from an exterior wall and was now in the alley behind it. Clark flew through the crumbling building, not pausing to give him any quarter before striking another blow. This one drove the man through the concrete like street, through several sublevels.

Clark followed him down into the darkness. It was dimly lit and the stench was rank and vile but didn't appear to be a sewer. Instead, the sublevel seemed vast with high ceilings. Around him, Clark could hear the drone of machinery. Upon closer investigation, he realised they were surrounded by alien machines he did not recognise. It felt like he was in the city's engine room. Huge turbines whirred while pistons moved rhythmically in and out, carrying out some unknown purpose.

He started to survey the area for any signs of life when he was hit in the back by the enemy wielding that damned mace. It sent spasms of agony throughout his entire body. Clark uttered a grunt of pain as he staggered forward. His hearing detected footsteps closing in again and managed to turn around before he was struck again.

This time, Clark caught the weapon in his hand before it could connect with any part of his body. The energy running through it was similar to the deadly beams of energy that pursued him through the portal seven years ago when Valerie was taken. It scalded his palms even as he gripped it and Clark grit his teeth as his flesh burned. Pain was something he experienced too infrequently to control it like Bruce did.

"Cry for Kalibak, Kryptonian," the man grinned wearing that stupid sneer which only served to infuriate Clark even further. That is until the next words came out of his mouth.

"When I am done with you, I will go find the girl, the one with the golden hair and find out if she is as easily broken. I shall enjoy tasting that sweet morsel more than sparring with you."

 _Hell no_. Clark's eyes flared in red heat.

"THAT…WILL…NEVER…HAPPEN!"

That was the last warning Kalibak got before a blast of heat exploded from his eyes like a sun going nova. It rushed over the weapon like a solar flare and turned it red hot whilst still in Kalibak's grip. Kalibak screamed as he let it go and watched it hit the ground, clutching his scalded hand. Staggering backwards, he could only watch a Clark's heat vision turned the weapon's casing into slag that soon liquefied over its inner mechanism. As the molten metal reached the power source, the device exploded with a flare of brilliant white light that lit up the whole level.

"No!" Kalibak screamed impotently as the explosion rocked the sub-level, bringing down chunks of concrete from the ceiling and the street above.

Outraged by the threat to Kara, Clark didn't give him much time to mourn his weapon and slammed another fist into his face before the explosion diminished. Kalibak was driven into one of the turbines, his bulk denting thick metal and caused the machine to sputter in protest at the damage. Ruined metal and conduits spat sparks across the debris covered ground.

"You'll never get anywhere near her! Do you hear me? NEVER!"

Clark threw another punch, this one aimed squarely at Kalibak's head. The Apokoliptan rolled away at the last minute, avoiding having his skull staved in by a living jackhammer. Clark's fist swished past him, impacting against the iron dent in the machinery and went through several segments machinery before coming to a stop. The turbine crumbled like paper and Clark pulled back his arm, seeking out Kalibak who was getting to his feet again. When he saw Clark approach, he reached for his belt and threw a small disk like object onto the ground.

The device exploded, sending sharp spikes in all directions. Clark shielded his eyes and hissed in pain when he realised they were able to penetrate his skin. Fortunately his Kryptonian density protected him from the worst of it but he could feel the dozen cuts across his flesh and warm blood oozing through the fabric of his suit. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse, Kalibak went on the offensive, renewing his attack and connected with Clark's jaw again. The Kryptonian staggered backwards as Kalibak leapt forward, feet first, against Clark's chest and brought down him.

"You are weak!" Kalibak growled as he started to pummel Clark repeatedly before Clark had chance to retaliate. "You Kryptonians thought you were so much better than us! Look at what happened to you, what happened to your world! Where were all that arrogance when your sun turned all of you into ash?"

Kalibak was incredibly strong. Not quite strong as him, Clark knew without doubt but strong enough for those blows to hurt him. He could taste blood in his mouth and feel bruises forming against his skin. Remembering what defeat would mean for Kara, Clark's rage bubbled to the surface once more and he growled in a voice not quite his own.

"I don't need to turn you into ash to end you."

Grabbing both of the man's wrist, Clark hovered off the ground, lifting them both until he was far enough aloft to stand upright. Kalibak squirmed to get free but Clark's grip was iron and he pulled the man forward to slam his skull against Kalibak's own. He heard bone crunch before Kalibak uttered a guttural cry of pain and indignation. Then Clark clenched his hands into fist, pulverising the bones of the man's wrist and drawing another sharp scream from the man's lips. He glared hatefully at Clark and was about to speak when Clark planted a kick in the middle of his gut and let go.

There was an instant when Diana's words about not giving the enemy any quarter surfaced in his mind and he debated maintaining his grip on Kalibak's hands when he delivered the kick. He could have easily ripped both arms out of Kalibak's sockets until an even more cherished memory surfaced in his mind and forced him to let go. The man was flung through the ceiling and kept going, sailing through the air and over buildings. Clark didn't see where he landed but doubted that would kill the Apokoliptan. It would hurt him but not kill him.

It would have been so easy to do so but Jonathan Kent had taught his son better.

The memory of that man was too precious for Clark to ever sully and so Clark drew in his breath, steadied himself and flew out the torn opening in the ceiling to go help Diana.

* * *

Diana had told her that Kal was fast but until Kara tested her powers in Themiscyra, she didn't realise how fast she could move. As she sped past the guards in their dark green uniforms and oversized boots, she flew so quickly she was little more than a rush of air easily dismissed as the environmental controls in the building being cranked up a notch. They were already distracted by the thunderous sound of fighting outside with walls shuddering and lights flickering as trails of dust shook lost from the fortifications.

Kara herself found it hard to ignore the battle outside when her hearing was shaper than most and forced herself to keep from worrying about how Clark and Diana were faring out there.

 _I promised Lois to keep him safe,_  she thought to herself and then remembered the task was given was also important too.

There was a boy trapped in this terrible place because of her and she was going to save him if it was the last thing she did. Her father, Zor-El, sent her to Earth to save her life at the cost of his own and Kara was not about to let someone else suffer the same fate on her behalf. At least this time, she was in a position to do something about it. For the sacrifice made by her parents so she would survive Kandor's destruction, she owed it to them to be better.

Bruce was right, she thought when she reached the third level where Dick was imprisoned, less than a minute after leaving him behind. She did get here faster without him. She would have been even faster but she was careful not to give herself away when she was passing the soldiers to avoid giving herself away. Scanning the numerous cell doors along the wall with her X-ray vision, it didn't take long for her to find the boy.

_It's okay Doe. Don't be scared. Just listen to me talk okay?_

The boy was talking to someone, Kara discovered. He was crouched next to the door, speaking through a slot at the bottom. It took her but a moment to determine who he was addressing when she detected the voice of another child, except this one was crying.

By Rao, they were both so little.

If Kara had thought Dick was young, then the child he called Doe was almost a baby. Hearing the little girl's distress and Dick's attempt to be console her, filled Kara with an even greater determination to rescue him from this place. Reaching the door, she paused in the so far empty corridor and looked about furtively. She had gotten this far without detection but there was no way to maintain that stealth with what came next.

"Hey kid," she spoke to Dick through the door. "I'm a friend of Batman's, I need you to step away from the door."

At first Dick Grayson thought the voice on the other side of the door was another one of Granny's tricks. After what he'd gone through today, he wasn't at all surprise if this was another cruel test. Still, the mention of Batman made his heart leap up in excitement. Peering through the slot, he saw a pair of feet wearing blue Kedds. He couldn't see very well but what he was able to make out didn't look at all like Granny.

"How do I know you're not messing with me?" He asked suspiciously. "You could be one of  _them_."

Kara rolled her eyes even though he was right. He had no reason to believe her but she really didn't have time to convince him either.

"Look I'm here with Superman and Wonder Woman, okay?" She replied impatiently, remembering what she'd been told about keeping their identity's a secret. "Now step away from the door."

Dick knew he was powerless to do anything to stop her if she really wanted to come in and with a sigh of defeat, he stepped away from the door, retreating to the other side of the room. Bracing himself for whatever indignity Granny may intend for him if this was a trick, he was suddenly startled by the loud bang that exploded in his ears.

The metal door buckled in the middle by the impact of whatever had made that bang before it was yanked away from the frame and tossed aside along the corridor with another deafening roar. The alien hinges and door locked hissed and spat in protest as the door was ripped away and Dick's eyes became saucers at the sight of the pretty blond girl in the half cut t-shirt and jeans.

"You…you…did that?" He managed to ask, staring at her in amazement.

"I did," Kara answered before breaking into a smile. "I'm Kara and you're Dick. I promised Batman I'd get you to him. So let's go." She extended her hand towards this.

"Batman," Dick declared, his chest feeling with relief because not only the dark knight had promised to find his parents' killer but he had kept a close enough eye on Dick to be able to rescue him from here. "Where is he?"

"On his way," Kara answered. "Come on we have to go."

Suddenly Dick remembered Doe and before Kara could say anything else, he darted past her and hurried out cell into the corridor.

"I'm not going anywhere without Doe!" He hollered back, expecting her to follow him.

"Kid, we don't have time!" Kara shouted back but was convinced that plea wasn't going to satisfy him. "We can't save everyone or else we won't be able to escape!"

"I'm not going without her!" Dick stated defiantly as he skidded to his knees and stuck his fingers through the slot of the door next to his cell. A small hand emerged from the narrow opening and their fingers found each other.

"Doe! Step away from the door!" Dick ordered.

"What's happening Dick?" A small, frightened voice asked.

"Someone's come to help us," he said looking up at Kara. " _Right_?"

Kara stared into his intense gaze and supposed there was never any question that he wasn't going to get his way. "Right," she agreed.

Kara knew that Kal, Diana and probably Bruce weren't going to be very happy about this, especially after she'd overheard their fight about this very matter. However, Kara couldn't bring herself to refuse the boy or leave the little girl to rot down here especially when the two children appeared to have grown somewhat attached.

"Step away from the door Doe," Dick repeated himself, letting go of her hand so she could do as he asked.

Kara scanned the other side of the door to see the girl had done as told before she stepped up and crumpled it in one punch. The force of the blow ripped the door from its frame before falling flat on the floor. It teetered precariously on the dent she created with a fist but moved no more after a second.

She's like Superman or Wonder Woman, Dick thought and then his brain caught onto the fact that all the noise that he and Doe had been hearing outside the walls of their cell could have been the two heroes. When Kara arrived, he'd been consoling Doe who was frightened at the commotion although truth be told, he was helping himself too because he was no less scared.

Kara stepped into the cell and found a little girl with jet black hair staring at her with cerulean eyes. She was definitely younger than Dick, Kara thought indignantly. She was six years old, if that and human. In fact, other than Dick, she was the only human Kara had seen on route here. There were bracelets clamped around her small pudgy wrists but unlike Diana's, these did not celebrate her Amazon heritage, these were shackles.

Why didn't Dick have them?

The question was forgotten as Dick brushed past her and entered the room.

"Doe it's okay, she's here to save us."

At the sight of Dick, Doe's hesitation evaporated and she broke into a happy smile. She got to her feet and rushed to greet him with a hug.

There was no time to allow them a reunion and Kara was conscious of the sounds she could hear approaching the corridor. If they didn't know she was here before, they certainly knew it now or would when they arrived to discover two of their prisoners missing.

"Come on you two," she said hastily ushering towards the open doorway. As both children obeyed her and started to move, Kara noted that the bracelets were cutting into Doe's wrist and decided there was time enough for her to do one thing at least.

"Hang on kid," she stopped Doe and dropped down to her knees.

It didn't take much to snap the things off but she noted they were more than just shackles. There was some kind of electronic circuitry running through it, beneath the external casing. Kara didn't know enough about the tech to recognise its purpose and considered keeping a piece of it for Batman to look at later.

"Thank you," Doe said meekly as she rubbed rubbing the red welts the shackles had left behind.

"You're welcome," she smiled at the girl before stepping through the doorway first.

The hall was clear for now but Kara's enhanced hearing could detect the voices closing in on them. She had to get these kids out of here now. Wasting no time, she turned around and picked both children up, one in each arm.

"I can walk," Dick grumbled, his eight-year old self feeling quite annoyed that he was being picked up like a baby. It was okay for a girl…

"We're not walking kid," Kara winked at him and without warning, pushed herself off the floor and flew down the corridor, eliciting squeals of excitement and surprise form both children.

"Awesome!" Dick exclaimed.

They sped down the corridor, flying past the group of soldiers converging on them. Travelling at super speed, she flew over their heads before they even realised they were there. With two passengers however, she couldn't move as fast enough to remain unseen and while they were unable to stop her, they definitely saw her.

Once she left the soldiers behind and approached the spiral staircase that led to the other levels of the building, Kara slowed down enough so she could speak. "We should be meeting up with Batman soon," Kara explained.

"He really came," Dick declared, deciding that the Batman was the greatest detective there was if he was able to find Dick here. Even though the Batman promised Dick to find out who hurt his mom and dad, Dick had truly not expected him to find him in this awful place.

"Yeah, he's been going crazy worrying about you."

"He has?" Dick asked, puzzled. Something about that statement that lingered in his mind, like a pregnant drop of water waiting to fall. He wasn't sure how to articulate but it was there nonetheless. Since his mom and dad died, support had come from places he never expected. The night they died, Dick had thought he was all alone but now there were people who cared for him, who wanted nothing but to help. The Batman, Alfred and Bruce…

His eyes widened as understanding flooded his mind like exploding artillery shells.

But before he could do anything about it, everything went crazy.

An explosion, a  _real_  one, detonated behind them. Its effect, beyond the deafening noise was immediate. Suddenly, they were no longer in the air as Kara abruptly let them go, seconds before she crashed into descending staircase. Dick who knew all about falling, tucked in his legs and protected his head as he landed, rolling across down the staircase for a few steps. His body ached from hitting the corners but nothing was broken.

Recovering quickly, he got to his feet and scanned the area for the others. Doe was further along the staircase. She was lay flat on her back but was already starting to sit up when he approached. She looked unhurt and mostly dazed. It was a condition he shared himself. His own disorientation made the narrow space swirl somewhat and he shook his head to clear it.

"Doe, are you okay?"

She was about to answer him when her gaze shifted further down the steps. Dick followed it to see what she was looking at and realised Doe was staring Kara sprawled, face down against the staircase. Her white t-shirt was smoking as she was struggling to get to her feet. Someone shot her!

"Kara!" Dick left Doe and hurried over to her, bending over to grab her so he could help her up when he caught sight of a figure descending the staircase, brandishing a formidable looking weapon that lit up the stairwell with its crimson glow.

Granny, Dick realised with dismay. Bathed in red light, the woman seemed even more deranged and menacing than ever. She stomped down the steps; her eyes narrowed in calculation, wearing that cruel sneer he knew would follow him into his dreams for years. Turning back to Kara quickly, he tugged her arm with even more urgency.

"Come on Kara," he insisted. "You have to get up. She's coming!"

At the sound of his frightened voice, Kara lifted her head and met his eyes. "Take Doe and run," she ordered weakly, her words segueing into a groan.

Dick didn't like that idea at all. "But…" he started to protest.

"RUN!" She snapped, becoming more animated. "Take Doe and go!"

The sharpness of that order made him release her and step back. He saw Granny closing the distance and knew with a sinking feeling in his gut that Kara was right. If he and Doe didn't go now, they would get captured. Turning away from her, he ran to Do and took her hand. The little girl looked just as dismayed to leave Kara but she offered no protest when Dick started leading her away.

"We gotta go!" He insisted.

Kara watched them leave and sucked in her breath to steady herself. Her back stung with pain but she also knew she could overcome it. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the enemy approaching and knew she had to give Dick and Doe a chance to escape. She was going to have to fight and even though she wasn't ready for it, she was not about to let the two children pay for her inexperience.

Once she was on her feet, she saw the woman raising her weapon to fire again but this time Kara didn't give her the chance. Exhaling all the air in her chest, the force of her super breath tossed the woman backwards. She landed hard, the weapon in her hand clattering down the steps as Kara aimed her heat vision on it and unleashed a blast of heat vision. The weapon turned red hot and then started to sizzle as the metal melted.

The woman sat up and observed the proceeding for a second, but instead of appearing furious at the ruin of her gun, she grinned instead. That frightened Kara more than anything else.

"Now you," she addressed Kara in a gravelly voice that could have belonged to a man, "you I can work with."


	17. Family

Staying where he was didn't seem to be an option when it was clear the woman taunting him from the hallway, was perfectly aware he was here. Bruce considered his options briefly, concluding he would have a better chance of facing her than the dozens of troops that would undoubtedly come to investigate if she kept calling him out. As it stood, he wasn't certain they wouldn't come anyway.

Lowering himself into the corridor, he found himself facing the woman referring to herself as Mad Harriet. With unruly green hair, wild wide eyes and tattoos all over her face, Bruce found himself thinking about the threat Eris made to him when he helped Diana defeat the war god Ares some months before. Eris alleged his dreams would be filled with a harlequin's smile. Was she referring to Mad Harriet? The woman certainly resembled a deranged clown.

"There you are," Mad Harriet grinned triumphantly before bolting forward, brandishing elongated razor sharp claws that looked like something out of a Freddy Krueger movie.

Bruce wasn't about to underestimate her because of her gender and retrieved a smoke grenade from his belt and tossed it against the floor before she reached him. The ceramic ampule shattered, filling the narrow space with thick, grey smoke that blunted the visibility provided by the harsh lights above. Taking advantage of the cover, he sidestepped Harriet who slashed wildly at the thick grey fog, trying to dispel it.

Obviously a creature of impulse, the wild swipe did little to disperse the cloud and Bruce took advantage of her efforts, getting behind her so he could land an elbow against her back. She stumbled forward, cursing indignantly at being caught by such a simplistic ruse. Spinning, she attempted to regain the upper hand but Bruce was one step ahead of her, dropping to his haunches before he swung out his leg and swept the legs from under her. Bruce jumped to his feet and retrieved his batarang when she landed hard on her rump, determined to knock her out.

Unfortunately, Harriet recovered with surprising speed and launched herself at him before he could make the throw. Like a coiled snake, she landed on him with enough force to bring them both down. Her legs locked themselves around his waist, straddling him and she lashed wildly at his chest with her claws. She through the Kevlar of his suit with ease, almost breaking skin. He felt the heat of the energy cackling against his skin, singeing the hairs of his chest.

Bruce twisted hard and flung her off him, sending Harriet tumbling across the floor while he got to his feet. This time he was able to throw at her the batarang he had modified in the style of a bolas. The batarang split in mid-flight, each piece connected to high tensile wire that circled Harriet's feet before tightening. Once again, Harriet was brought down and but his victory was short-lived. Without skipping a beat, Harriet sliced through the wire wrapped around her legs like it was paper.

"Gotta do better than that Batboy!" Harriet cackled. "This is Apokolips! Not your primitive backwater!"

Once she was free, she rushed him again and by now, the gas cloud he created to give him cover was gone. There was nowhere to hide. She swung her claws at him and Bruce bent back, avoiding the sharp steel as it sailed over him before he straightened up and planted a fist right in her face before she had a chance to attack again. She staggered back as he felt bone crunch but instead of groaning in pain, she was laughing.

Bruce moved in again, going on the offensive, telling himself that she was no ordinary woman as she jabbed at him and he sidestepped her blades to grab her wrist and slam another elbow against her jaw. He kept a firm grip on her and delivered a side kick that landed forcefully beneath her ribs. If she were any other opponent, the move would be disabling but Mad Harriet wasn't a human and in their combat so far, it was clear she could take substantial hits without injury. His only way to defeat her was to outthink her.

Harriet was driven to her knees but she didn't stay there long and reacted the way a trained combatant would do despite her manic behaviour. She sprung upright and launched herself at him again, cackling insanely. Bruce dodged her attempts to cut him to pieces, sidestepping her claws since she relied on them to do most of the damage. He observed fleetingly that the guards who came, quickly withdrew once they saw who was causing the commotion. Their fear of her was obvious.

"You're good for human Batboy, but not good enough!" She hissed as she lunged at him.

Bruce avoided her easily, using the wall to give his own momentum added velocity as he used one leg to propel himself over her head. He landed behind her and threw another powerful kick, this time shoving her against the wall. Forcing himself to remember that she wasn't human, he slammed her head against the wall repeatedly, hoping it would disorientate her enough for him to use something capable of incapacitating her so he could get away.

It was not lost on him Kara wasn't back yet.

The blows against her forehead did little to slow the Apokoliptan down and instead of being disorientated, she used the wall to brace herself as she pushed herself backwards, driving herself into Bruce. He lost his grip on her which was all the opening she needed. Spinning about at lightning speed, she closed the distance between them and delivered one powerful swipe before he could react. The razor tip claws cut through his Kevlar and met flesh with ease.

The pain was white hot as it tore across his lower abdomen. If it wasn't for the suit offering some resistance, she would have succeeded in disembowelling him. Yet her claws didn't just cut, they delivered a charge of energy making his entire body spasm in agony. Bruce stumbled back, his heart pounding as he felt it fibrillate. Trying to regain some measure of control despite the pain, he was vaguely aware of Harriet's grinning as she moved in for the kill.

 _No, not while Dick was still trapped in this place_ , he screamed defiantly in his head.

That thought alone forced his fingers to the belt and he retrieved another one of his tools, aiming it at Harriet as she prepared to deliver her killing stroke.

"What are you going to do?" She sneered, staring down the barrel of the device, her eyes narrowing in calculation. "Fire your little gun at me?"

"I don't use guns," he replied before pressing the trigger.

Two tiny darts ejected from the barrel of the Taser and landed in Harriet's neck. The effect was instantaneous as 25000 volts surged through the woman's body. Superhuman or not, unless she was Clark, her body was no match for that much electricity. She jerked about violently as the current rushed through her. The electricity appeared to have also disrupted the energy source giving her claws their charge. There was sparking and hissing at her arms before the tiny mechanism short-circuited entirely, sending tendrils of smoke into the air as it burnt himself out.

Harriet screamed as she collapsed against the floor, her body convulsing, her claws flailing about like someone drowning. Bruce watched her go down, his own injuries starting to overcome him. The tightening spasms he could feel in his chest was a clear indication of cardiac arrest. Fumbling for his belt through the haze of pain, he retrieved a miniature electronic disc and slapped it against his chest.

It was one the few items he kept in his first aid compartment but this particular device had never been field tested before. Capable of delivering one massive electrical charge, though not in the dangerous levels of the Taser he just fired at Harriet, it served as a defibrillator.

Bruce didn't know how long Harriet would be down for the count but he did know he didn't have much time. He had to be back on his feet before she woke or before the guards found him. Putting a bite guard in his mouth, he pushed the dark button on the face of the device and let it do its work, praying it didn't knock him out entirely in the process.

It did.

* * *

If they stayed in the corridors, they were going to get recaptured.

Dick came to this conclusion rather quickly after Kara told him and Doe to run. Unknowingly taking the same route she had used to reach him from the roof, Dick emerged from the staircase into the very next floor and saw guards moving up and down the hallway. Grabbing Doe, he darted into the first safe place he saw—a room with lots of screen, like the security guard station at the mall.

So far everything about Granny's orphanage told Dick no one escaped this place and if they did, it was probably because they were dead.

After a few minutes of careful consideration, Dick decided the only way to remain hidden was to travel above the corridor rather than through it. The pipes and conduits running along the ceiling were barely wide enough for a grown up person to traverse but Dick was an acrobat and moving along narrow beams was second nature to him. Doe was understandably frightened and dubious about the plan but she had so far maintained her composure so Dick was convinced she was up to the task.

After he used the handholds provided by the grooves and edges on the terminal's computer panelling to hoist himself up, he able to convince Doe to the same who surprised him by her ability to keep up. Once aloft, they crawled along the pipe, freezing in place each time a guard walked through the corridor, like mice trying to sneak by a cat. Dick's plan was to make it the end of the corridor and reach the other staircase Kara claimed would lead to the roof. On the way there, she was sure they'd run into the Batman.

She was right, but not in the way she imagined.

The first thing Dick saw was not the Batman lying against the wall, seemingly unconscious—it was the blood. The woman lying on the other side of the corridor barely registered. If he had noticed her, he would have noticed she was one of the women who had abducted him from the manor and hurt Alfred. At this moment however, none of that mattered.

Not when Dick saw the Dark Knight lying there in a pool of his own blood.

The parallels to his parents were too close for Dick to be able to stand. Just like that night not so long ago, he was staring down at someone else he cared for, prone and bleeding. Not even thinking twice, Dick dropped down into the corridor, leaving Doe where she was. Dick vaguely remembered telling her to stay put but it was all a blur against the imperative to reach Batman. Dick scrambled over to the hero, gripped with the terror the hero might be as dead as his parents.

 _No!_  Dick let out an anguished wail inside of him, almost equal to the one he screamed the night his parents fell to their deaths.

"Batman," he shook the man's arm frantically, "Wake up!"

The Batman did not stir, heightening Dick's panic another notch.

"Please!" Dick shook his arm even harder, all efforts not to cry like a baby since this ordeal had begun, discarded, "You have to wake up! We need you to wake up!"

Dick had started to cry and he didn't even notice.

"Please," Dick shook his arm again, weeping and not caring if anyone saw. The tears ran down his reddened cheeks and he wiped his eyes before trying once more to wake the man, "Please wake up. Alfred needs us  _Bruce_."

When Kara had told him that Batman was worried about him, a flash of insight that was more emotional than logical told him why this was so. This man, this hero, had been there since the first night his parents died. When no one else understood, Bruce did. He didn't try to say things would get better, or Dick would forget with time. He didn't say it because he knew it wasn't true. Bruce had lost his mom and dad too. When he was in the Batman's presence, Dick felt the same empathy radiating off the man, as if he knew revenge or words would never heal the pain of their loss, only justice.

Bruce was already starting to rouse when he felt the small hand shaking his but when the boy used his name, he was fully alert. He stirred lightly, sitting up slowly, a grimace stealing across his face as consciousness returned with the awareness of pain. The agony inflicted by Mad Harriet returned in full force but it felt inconsequential in light of Dick's words.

How did the boy know? Bruce wondered and then realised he didn't care. He'd been honest with Dick since they'd met and this was no time to start lying to him.

Without hesitation, Bruce pulled the cowl of his face and faced Dick Grayson, little Robin Redbreast who had come to mean more to him than he could possibly imagine. He could almost feel some great cosmic mechanism slipping into the place, telling him this was the right thing to do. The only other time he felt such assurance was the first time he met Chloe Sullivan. This young boy had slipped into his heart effortlessly, just like Chloe.

Without thinking twice, Dick threw his arms around the dark knight and embraced him hard, sniffling away his tears at the same time. The ferocity of the boy's reaction made Bruce's heart melt in his chest and despite the pain he was in, hugged the boy back.

"I'm okay Dick," he said quietly. "I'm alright."

Glancing over Dick's shoulder, Bruce saw that Mad Harriet was still unconscious. He'd put 25000 volts into her and a normal person would be unconscious for some time but she wasn't a normal person.

"We have to get moving," Bruce said uncoiling the boy's arms from around his neck as he righted his cowl over his face again. "Where's Kara?"

Dick's face fell. "She told us to run. Granny shot her."

 _Damn_ , Bruce cursed inwardly.

Getting to his feet, the pain lanced through his body and he reacted with a grunt of pain. Mad Harriet's claws had cut him deep but fortunately not enough to keep him down. He'd attend to himself once he got Dick out of here.

"Are you hurt real badly?" Dick asked, his eyes fixed on the blood on the floor and across Bruce's chest. The dark knight felt a pang of regret at allowing Dick to find him this way. Bruce was sure the boy was seeing parallels to his parents' bodies lying against the sawdust not too long ago.

"I'll live," Bruce replied and then looked at him. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"Nah," Dick shook his head. "I got hurt a little but only because I didn't move fast enough. Is she dead?" He glanced at Mad Harriet behind him.

"No," he shook his head, "but she'll be up soon. We've got to go find Kara."

He wasn't about to sacrifice one child for another. Kara for all her strength was a child and she'd rescued Dick. Bruce owed it to Clark to return the favour.

* * *

"There's no need for all this dear," Granny said to Kara, her voice calm and almost sweet, as she stood over the Kryptonian teenager, no longer caring that the other two children had escaped.

They would be found soon enough, Granny thought confidently. The  _real_  prize was right in front of her and Granny was not about to let the girl slip through her fingers. What this child could do would make all her other Furies seem inconsequential in comparison. "I have no desire to hurt you, my dear. In fact, I want to help you realise your true potential."

"No thank you," Kara shook her head, looking about her with X-ray vision to see more soldiers converging on this staircase. Granny was calling for reinforcements but Dick and Doe were well away, Kara thought scanning the area quickly. Clenching her knuckles, Kara knew she was going to have to fight her way out of here. "I'm recognising my true potential just fine."

She turned to super speed out of there when Granny threw something at her. It was some kind of net and it moved with such speed that Kara didn't realise she was caught until she fell flat on her face. The netting glowed with odd green hue that immediately made her sick. Her stomach heaved and she hadn't felt this awful since…she couldn't even remember.

As she struggled to get to her feet to pull the thing off her body, Kara was horrified by the realisation that she couldn't. Her great strength seemed to be wanning, draining like someone had let the water out of a sink. Amidst her distress, she saw Granny approaching her and with a surge of panic, Kara realised she was about to be captured alive. Just like Kal feared.

 _Oh No!_  She almost cried. She didn't want to be like Doe, locked in a cell with shackles.

"I did try to do it the easy way," Granny looked down at her. "I would have preferred that you came to me willingly but then again, no one makes the right choice the first time out. No matter, you'll learn."

She reached Kara and brought her foot down on the young girl's back, pinning her to the ground.

Kara uttered a soft cry of pain as she felt the woman's boot pressing down against her spine and glared at Granny defiantly. "I will never choose you." She grunted.

Granny's face, curled up into a menacing scowl and she kicked out, the tip of her boot connecting with Kara's face.

Kara's jaw flared in agony and her head swim with dizziness. There was the taste of salt in her mouth and Kara knew instinctively it was blood. Tears welled up in her eyes and the urge to weep was great but she maintained her dignity, refused to show this woman weakness because it was Granny expected from her. Kara wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

"Now," Granny said leaning down to pick her up, "we'll put you in a nice little cell where you can have a few days to think about your situation."

"I don't think so," a new voice suddenly entered the equation and Kara blinked in recognition.

Without warning, something dark move over her head and Kara's saw Granny being thrown backwards, away from her. The woman uttered a howl of indignation as she slammed against the steps, a few feet away from Kara. On the steps with her was the Batman. He had gotten Kara away from Granny in a full body tackle and was in his feet faster than the Apokoliptan.

"How dare you strike me?" Granny bellowed. "You're nothing but a human! A pathetic human!"

The Batman didn't waste time bandying words with the woman and immediately aimed his Taser at her but Granny wasn't like Mad Harriet, she wasn't reckless or insane. Granny saw the weapon and dodged the electrodes coming at her at the last minute before closing the distance between Bruce. She was stronger than Harriet and Kara knew that she was right, Batman – Bruce Wayne, was only human.

"Kara," she heard Dick behind her and Kara turned around to see Dick and Doe emerging from the shadows. "You're hurt." Dick said worriedly.

"You shouldn't be here," Kara exclaimed panicked at the sight of the two children so close to this.

"I know," Dick replied but was already trying to find the edge of the net. "We came to get you."

With Doe's help, Dick lifted the net off Kara, thinking it felt the beaded seats in a taxi cab, all noisy and made up of pebbles. It glowed with a strange greenish hue but Dick ignored it, knowing that it had to be bad if it allowed Granny to hurt Kara.

"You're bleeding Kara," Doe said worriedly in her small voice. Her pudgy fingers dragging the net off the teenagers shoulder with Dick's help.

"I know," Kara replied and immediately felt the sickly sensation relinquish its grip on her as the two children drag the net and cast it away. As soon as Kara was free of it, she felt her energy return and she was able to stand up, albeit shakily at her. Her X-ray vision returned too and she saw the guards running down the corridor about to spill into the stairwell. It was a small miracle that they weren't here yet.

Meanwhile Bruce was holding his own against Granny if holding his own meant, staying on the defensive as he sparred with the woman and gave Dick time to help Kara. Bruce explained to Dick that the net had to be removed from Kara at all cost because it hindered her great powers. It took no clairvoyance to know that the netting was Kryptonite based.

"This has been amusing human," Granny retorted as she saw Kara being freed from the net. "But you're hurt and you can't keep this up."

She was right although Bruce was not about to admit it. He could see droplets of blood on the floor, his wounds were continuing to bleed and he wasn't as fast as he should be. Even the shot of adrenaline he gave himself to get here was reaching its limits. He could only evade her for so long. As the thought entered his head, one of her blows connected with his body where Mad Harriet had cut him open. The pain was agonizing and he felt fresh blood gushing from the wound. It forced the air from his lungs and he staggered back.

He hit the wall and stayed there for a few seconds.

"See," Granny said closing in to deliver her death blow. "All too human."

"Get away from him!" A streak of red and blue rushed past him, taking Granny with it.

Why couldn't they leave her alone? All she wanted was to begin her new life on Earth, with the only family she had left. Wasn't it enough that mother and father were dead, that all the people she'd grown up with were gone? Did they have to take the family she made on Earth too? The blood she could still taste in her mouth made her want to gag and the humiliation of Granny's boot on her back provoked a white hot fury she could not contain. It exploded out of her like an erupting volcano, turning her eyes crimson with heat.

Slamming Granny into the stairs so hard, the steps beneath the woman crumbled into rubble. Granny appeared dazed but Kara hardly noticed. She was beyond enraged and just like Diana taught her, began pummelling the mistress of the orphanage with jackhammer blows, one after the other at super speed. She didn't even notice when bones started to crack.

Bruce sat up, shaking off his disorientation when he saw Granny and Kara further along the staircase. Granny was trying to fend off the girl's punches but Kara's speed prevented her from mounting any kind of defence. One after the other, her punches were hard enough to make the walls shake and Bruce blinked, realising the girl didn't know her strength. Granny was strong but she was not Kryptonian.

Forcing himself away from the wall, he stumbled forward and took unsteady steps towards the two.

"Kara!" Bruce called out. "Stop."

From where he was, Bruce could see the reddish glow from the girl's eyes and it wouldn't take much to tip her over the edge. That edge would see Kara incinerating the woman where she lay. She was still trapped in that haze of rage and Bruce glanced at Dick and Doe, the little girl his young charge had rescued, watching the proceedings with growing anxiety.

"KARA!" Bruce closed the distance between them and grabbed the girl's shoulder. "STOP."

Kara reacted as if scalded. She stared at Bruce, almost uncomprehending for a moment, until the anger subsided as the read heat in her eyes cooled to their normal blue. She blinked as she regained control of herself, looking at him and then looking at Granny, covered in blood, like her hands. Granny was barely conscious

"She hurt us," Kara tried to explain.

"She has," Bruce agreed. "But we still don't kill."

Kara's hand flew to her lips, covering the gasp of horror escaping her lips.  _If he hadn't stopped me_ , Kara realised,  _I would have killed this woman. I would have beaten her to death._  Diana and the Amazons taught her to mind her temper, unchecked rage could have consequences and until now Kara didn't realise what those consequences could be.

"I almost killed her…" Kara whispered. "I didn't meant to." Her eyes welled with tears.

"Its okay Kara," Bruce put his gauntleted hand on her cheeks and wished Clark was here. Clark was better at offering comfort than he was. This girl had powers Bruce couldn't hope to understand but he suspected it was the first time, she realised what a responsibility it was, how important it was to maintain control. He could give her a speech about how she'd learn to manage this in time but this wasn't the moment for it. They were still in the lion's den.

"I know you didn't mean it but we need to get out of here now." He said firmly, hoping that was enough to help her regain her composure.

It was.

Kara nodded, realising that he was right. They needed to get away from this world with its cruelty and darkness. This place turned everyone into killers. She wouldn't let it make one of her too. "Okay," she nodded quickly, drying her eyes. "Let's get out of here."

Giving him no time to protest, Kara grabbed Bruce by the arm and pausing long enough to collect the two children before she was speeding towards the roof. All they had to do was get to Kal and Diana and they could leave this world for good.

Kara had enough of Apokolips.


	18. Darkseid

When possible, Diana avoided combat.

Battle was a last resort, employed only when reason and patience was exhausted. It was the Amazon way to use tolerance and love as weapons which often could be as effective as some the sword for the same purpose. When Diana fought Ares, it was not her strength that allowed the mad god see reason. It was the truth and her choice to use words to subdue his hungry lust for destruction.

Because of this, enemies made the mistake of forgetting the Amazon princess was not merely an ambassador for her people, but she was their champion. Even if it was ordained by the gods long before she was born, Diana still won the right to wear the standard of her people. She was a warrior, with all the power of Olympus behind her and this day, on the stygian world of Apokolips, she was allowed to show it as never before.

The flying soldiers Diana heard being described by Lashina as parademons, swarmed around her like the Stymphalian Birds that once plagued the ancient world. They fired their weapons at her, hoping to disrupt her relentless battery of the Silver Swan, whose persona of Valerie Beaudry was lost forever.

Diana deflected their blasts with her bracelets, forged from the shield called the Aegis. In its day, it was carried by both Athene and Zeus, created from the hide of the great goddess Almathea, the daughter of a titan. It allowed nothing to penetrate when she raised her arms in defence.

The Aegis allowed her to maintain her ruthless battery of the Swan while fending off the parademons. While Diana did not wish to harm another sister, the current situation gave her no choice. She did not know where Kal was and Bruce needed time to rescue the young boy Dick. The parademons surrounding them were too numerous and the longer this engagement continue, the more their numbers would increase.

As formidable as Valerie had become as the Swan with her sonic powers, she was still no match for Diana in unarmed combat.

As Diana continued to throw devastating punches, she could see the Swan's attempt to retaliate grow wilder and more frenzied, Any minute now and Diana knew her temper would explode and so would her power. The Amazon was counting on it.

"Get off her!"

Someone latched onto her back, pressing an across her throat in a powerful arm lock. Diana turned her head long enough to see it was Lashina who returned to the battle, possibly suspecting her strategy in her focus on the Swan.

Wasting no time with distractions, Diana snapped her had back in a sharp, forceful jab. The back of her skull impacted against Lashina's face, temporarily disorientating the lead Fury. She grabbed the arms encircling and tore them from her neck. While Lashina was stronger than most, she was no match for Diana who could go toe to toe with Kal if necessary. She had no trouble dislodging the woman. When she turned to face her attacker, Lashina's face was a smear of blood and her teeth were bared in fury.

"I'll split you apart you Amazon bitch!" She lashed out with Diana with one of her whips and this time, it cackled with energy.

Diana blocked the strike with the bracelet of one hand while throwing a punch a second later, once the energy from the lash dissipated. It connected with Lashina's jaw with enough force to send the woman flying across the sky, her body limp as she smashed into some kind of tower nearby. The dark stone crumbled, raining down on the street below.

"That's it!"

It was the Swan's enraged voice and Diana turned to see her hovering a short distance away.

Taking advantage of Lashina's attack on the Amazon, Valerie was able to recover somewhat but the fury inside her had reached boiling point.

"It's my turn now bitch!"

It was about time, Diana thought as turned not to face the Swan in battle but to clear minimum safe distance. As expected, the Silver Swan unleashed the full torrent of her rage upon her Amazon opponent in a powerful, world-shattering scream. Diana covered her ears, bracing herself for the auditory assault even though she suspected it was going to do little good. Instead, she braced herself for it and found herself a safe place to take refuge.

The Swan's scream tore through the ears of everyone in vicinity, shattering rock and glass, sweeping away the Parademons in the air like they were leaves in the wind. Dropping like flies in mid-air, Diana's discomfort of the Swan's ear splitting cry was blunted by the satisfaction of knowing her gamble worked. The Swan had removed a sizeable portion of the forces rallied against them far more effectively than Diana could have achieved on her own.

As she watched the destruction wrought by the Swan from behind the safety of a tall, obelisk type building shuddering like a tuning fork, other structures did not escape unscathed. Some of the weaker constructions gave way under the attack, blown away as if a god had swept them aside with wave of his hand. Explosions erupted across the city as dwellings and buildings were decimated, hover crafts were knocked out of the sky, spiralling out of control before crashing into debris filled streets.

The skyline of the dark, desolate world came alive with blue tendrils of energy as power lines and conduits were ruptured in the sonic onslaught. Her unwitting assault on the city made the nearby fire pits darken and only then did she return to some semblance of herself. The Swan hung above the open decimated terrain, surveying her handiwork with some measure of trepidation, Diana notice.

Diana's ears were still ringing but she saw an opening and flew at top speed towards the Silver Swan, intending to deliver a disabling blow now that her enemy had cleared the area of the parademon swarm.

It would have been a good plan if not for the fact she was struck by something that had the power to swat her from the sky like an insect. Not since her battle with Ares had Diana been so completely overwhelmed and the pain gripped her like a fist, refusing to let go as she dropped from the sky. The world spun around her, creating a whirlpool of disorientation as she spiralled down. Struggling to regain her senses, Diana saw the ground rushing to meet her….

"I got you Diana!"

Kal, swooping seemingly out of nowhere, caught her in his arms, saving her from a violent landing. Despite this, Diana still felt a surge of embarrassment at being rescued like a helpless female. Now she understood why Bruce had such a problem with it. Nevertheless, pain had a way of putting one's pride in perspective.

"What struck me?" She asked as they gained altitude over beleaguered city.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he replied. He'd returned from his fight with Kalibak and saw Diana's strategy reach fruition. Like Diana, he was affected by Valerie's scream and had to withdraw until the worst of it was over or run the risk of blowing out his eardrums. He was just recovering his senses when he saw Diana falling to the ground, out of control.

He scanned the area and saw Valerie, no not Valerie, he decided. Valerie was gone, destroyed by the horror of this place, all that was left was the Swan and Clark's infinite capacity for compassion had waned when she helped them still a young boy out of his bed. She'd used the friendship of six years ago to exploit them, telling him that Valerie was beyond redemption.

Perhaps she always was.

At the moment however, the Swan was hovering in the air, keeping her distance. In fact, now that he looked deeper, the sky was devoid of anyone except himself and Diana. No reinforcements had come to take the place of the parademons the Swan had sent scurrying with her furious display of powers.

The sky was eerily empty of for a place that was teeming with activity and life when they first arrived. Now, columns of smoke rose from burning buildings and even the fire pits were oddly dark. After the disaster the Swan had caused, there should be people wandering the streets, trying to find help and loved ones but there was nothing.

Clark started to get a very bad feeling.

Then he saw the Lord of Apokolips for the first time and understood why. They were hiding.

The being standing the foot of the statue bearing his name could be no one else. He stood at least 14 feet in height, broad chested, with limbs like tree trunks and grey skin with the texture of granite. The sculpture had perfectly captured the stony expression on his broad features and he radiated authority and ruthless menace. This world with its fire pits and dismal industrial sprawl, covered in despair and oppression could only be ruled by someone like Darkseid.

Six years ago, an unknown assailant had shot at him through the portal that brought Valerie here, with a beam of energy so strong, Clark had barely escaped it. The way Diana was knocked out of the sky told Clark he was now face to face with his attacker. Darkseid made no move towards them, patient in his expectation of their eventual attack.

Clark wasn't stupid. Bruce had drilled into his head over the years that rushing in where angels feared to thread was not always the best solution. For once, the best way to win this battle was not to fight.

"We need to get out of here." He didn't care how it sounded. Every instinct he had told him taking on the lord of Apokolips would end badly for all of them.

"What is it Kal?" Diana shook off her disorientation at hearing the apprehension in Kal's voice. If the strongest among them felt fear, then it was not wise to ignore his advice.

"Darkseid," Clark replied as Diana wrestled free from his arms now that she was stronger. "He's here and I'm pretty sure he's the one who attacked you. He's waiting for us to attack and I think we should not give him a chance to take us down."

He scanned the roof top of Granny's building and was grateful that it was still standing after the Swan's outburst. He glimpsed Bruce with Kara and the children. They were making their way to the roof and would be there in a matter of seconds.

"Son of Krypton," a booming voice shook the sky. "Surrender to me now and your comrades will be allowed to leave Apokolips. Fight me and I will annihilate all of you, except the girl of course. She could yet be useful."

The idea of Kara being twisted into a deranged monster the way Valerie had been was more than Clark could stand. For the first time, he felt real fury bubble up inside him. Kara was his only connection to Krypton and the house of El, more than that, she was family. The image of the frightened girl in the ship surfaced in his mind, the one who needed so much love and thrived when she got it. Even though he had not wanted her to come to Apokolips, she'd stood her ground and demanded to help save Dick Grayson who'd been taken because of her.

She was just as headstrong and idealistic as he had been. Clark would not allow Darkseid or this terrible world to break that spirit. For her, he was willing to fight.

"Diana, Bruce and the kids are almost to the roof. Get to him and tell him to open the portal. I'll be right behind you."

"Kal no! We do this together!" She protested, not liking the intent in his eyes.

"I'm just going to keep him distracted but we need to think about the children. I'm not letting Kara or Dick stay in this place one damn minute longer. Open the portal and I'll be there, I promise. I don't plan on staying here either."

Diana was dubious about his plan but she also knew that Kal was right. Darkseid had knocked her out of the sky like fly being swatted. If he attacked on his terms, none of them would get off this world alive. Clark's idea of a distraction was the only hope they had and she prayed it worked.

Nodding reluctantly, she hovered in the air briefly before breaking away and flying towards the orphanage.

"Follow us Kal! I will hold you to that promise."

Clark inhaled deeply, steeling himself as he went to face Darkseid.

* * *

With Kara's help, they were able to make a swift departure from the hallways of Granny's orphanage to the roof top. Carrying Dick on her back, while holding onto Bruce as he carried the girl named Doe securely in his arms, Kara zoomed past Granny's guards, who were barely able to register them speeding by. Of course, the sonic storm created by the Silver Swan beyond the walls of the orphanage contributed to their distraction.

Like everyone else, she'd faltered at hearing that terrible scream, crashing against the floor as it pierced her ears. Her super hearing made her more sensitive to it than anyone else but fortunately, the lapse did not cause their escape catastrophic harm. As it was, the building shook and some sections of it did buckle. Mortar shook itself free from brick, filling the hallway with dust. Fissures appeared like veins across the walls and ceiling as the structure heaved in protest from the assault.

They were almost to the roof when it happened and Kara recovered quickly once the sound had evaporated. Thanks to her speed they were able to make up for lost time and soon emerged on the rooftop, without incident. Her ears still ringing, she knew the guards were busy securing their prisoners and with a heavy, heart Kara knew she could not help any of the children trapped in their cells.

Remaining on Apokolips any longer than necessary was a risk she could not take. Kara had already seen what one moment of unrestrained fury could cause and she had no wish to be in Granny's clutches for that rage to be exploited. She didn't want to be a monster the way this Silver Swan had become. There was so much good she could do with these powers, she didn't want this world to twist that into something terrible.

Besides, she promised Lois to take care of Kal and even if she didn't make such a promise to Diana, she felt the same obligation to Bruce Wayne, the Batman.

Despite his protests to the contrary, Kara knew he was badly hurt. The bleeding beneath his suit had not stopped and with her x-ray vision, she could tell just how serious the lacerations were. No to mention, his heart was beating erratically thanks to Mad Harriet's electrified claws. He restored himself to some semblance of mobility thanks to his gadgets but Kara knew enough about human physiology to suspect he needed proper medical attention and soon.

Of course, he showed none of this and his almost mercurial manner reminded her of Uncle Jor‑El, though Kara would never tell Kal that. Ever the scientist, Jor-El was always able to make the hard decisions, despite the personal cost. His plan to send Kal to Earth while he and Aunt Lara remained behind was typical of this. Kara wondered if her father's own plan for her was an effort to mimic his brother's practicality.

On the other hand, Dick Grayson seemed to have forgotten he was abducted from home and brought to an alien world, subject to an ordeal of torture and captivity. As he clung to her, she heard his gasps of excitement as they flew, making her remember that as resourceful as he was, Dick Grayson was still a typical little boy who craved adventure.

"Kara!"

Kara glanced up and saw the Amazon Princess descending before them.

"Awesome!" Kara heard Dick exclaim behind him.

"We're okay," Kara assured her and then remembered Bruce. "Mostly. We need to get Batman back to Earth right now. He's hurt."

"I'm fine," Bruce grumbled, disliking the focus on his injuries when he knew he was capable of managing without their help. Mostly. His ire grew even further when he saw pall of worry fall over Diana's face. He hated being weak in her eyes.

"We just need to get home to the manor, that's all," Dick letting himself down from Kara's back and hurrying to Bruce's side. "Back to Alfred."

Dick had completely forgotten he was talking to Wonder Woman because he remembered how he'd found Bruce earlier, almost dead. The idea of losing Bruce just as he lost his parents was enough to temper his excitement about seeing a real life Amazon princess.

Since his parent's death, Bruce Wayne had been the only person who didn't try to make him feel better with platitudes. Instead, Bruce remained at arm's length, giving Dick the time to grief but was also close enough in case he needed comfort. As the Batman, he promised Dick justice for his parents and finding out the two were one and the same made all the sense in the world to the young boy. He no longer felt totally alone.

Diana threw Bruce a quick glance, momentarily taken back by the fact the boy knew his secret identity. What she did saw familiar however, was the affection in the boy's eyes. Oh she knew that feeling well.

"Do not worry, little robin." That was how Bruce had described him to her, a little robin on a branch, bouncing with life. "We are all going home."

"Where's Kal?" Kara looked around, expecting Kal to follow Diana.

"He has gone to face the Lord of Apokolips who has entered the battle." Diana's expression became grave. "Kal said to open the portal and go. He will follow us after providing a sufficient distraction for our escape.

"Oh for Christ's sake!" Bruce growled, ignoring the fact he was in the presence of minors. "This is why I don't let him make plans. That is a  _bad_  plan. Darkseid wants a Kryptonian, if he can't have Kara, he'll take Clark."

"Bruce!" Diana chided, seeing the dismay on Kara's face.

"First things first," Bruce said putting down the little girl in his arms so he could retrieve the mother box in his belt. "We'll get the kids of out here and go get Clark if he's not behind us."

Diana didn't argue with him. It was pointless, instead she turned her attention to the little girl no one had explained. The little waif appeared terrified, with eyes that darted about like a frightened fawn. She was so young.

"And who is this?"

The angry red scrapes on her wrists rankled Diana all the way to her Amazon core. They were reminiscent of the scars Diana saw on her mother and Amazon sister, reminders of their captivity by Herakles millennia before. Even though the bracelets won by the Amazons concealed the scars, their mark upon the skin was unmistakable.

"Her name is Doe," Dick said helpfully, feeling bad that he hadn't introduced Doe although, he did notice she and Diana looked a lot alike. They both had the same luminous blue eyes and dark hair. "But Granny called her Donna."

"I think I like Doe better," Diana dropped down and touched the girl's wrists. "When we return home, I will take care of these. We Amazons know about such wounds."

The little girl blushed and uttered a mumbled word that sounded like thanks. Her gaze was fixed on the tall, beautiful woman before who seemed so familiar. Doe tried to remember but a fog always descended over her mind when she tried to access the memory, frustratingly vanishing into nothingness.

BOOM!

The sound startled them all as the portal activated. It formed in mid air, close the roof top floor, a circle of bright, intense light, cackling with power. Spidery strands of blue white energy discharged at its edges as the wormhole between the worlds stabilised.

"Alright," Bruce straightened up, gesturing at Dick and Doe to come forward so they could make the crossing when he noticed something which made him stiffen with realisation.

"Where's Kara?"

* * *

"This meeting has been a long time coming Kryptonian. My servants should have brought you to me six years ago."

Clark approached Darkseid cautiously, alluding to a confrontation he did not intend to make. He was taking no chances. He was only going to provide Darkseid with a distraction until the others escaped, then he would be right behind them leaving this terrible planet. Using his peripheral vision, he noted Darkseid's forces were holding back, most likely at their master's bidding. It appeared Darkseid wanted to deal with Clark himself.

The memory of the energy beam that chased him across Metropolis six years ago, told Clark the man was more than capable of doing just that. Clark had encountered nothing as powerful since that day and the ease by which he'd knocked Diana out of the sky proved time proved time had changed none of its potency.

"So you could turn me into a monster, like you did Valerie?"

"We freed her," Darkseid responded as if he were addressing a petulant child. "While she was on Earth, she was weak and frightened, at the mercy of strangers she was forced to cling for protection. Fear kept her from fully realising her powers, fear and some deluded notion of morality. The universe was created by great power and only a fool denies its potential. The girl you knew as Valerie has grown into the Silver Swan, one of my greatest warriors as you will soon be."

"Never!" Clark snapped defiantly. "I came here to get the boy your people stole! I will never join you and even if you do manage to take me, you better be prepared to use me without my powers because the instant I get them back, I will fight you. I will never stop fighting you!"

"Perhaps I will not waste my time attempting to break you," Darkseid replied, unperturbed by Clark's steadfast refusal. "Perhaps the girl will be more malleable. The young often are."

The malice in which he made that threat twisted in Clark's gut like a hot knife. The idea of Kara becoming like Valerie, now completely lost to them, was enough to waver his restraint.

Intensifying his assault on that sore point, Darkseid continued to speak. "Children are made for the shaping. Your Kara is new to your world, she would be more accustomed to this one, with technology similar to her own world, instead of your backwater ball of mud. Furthermore, I am aware of her existence now and you cannot protect her forever. One day, you will let down your guard and we will take her. What will you do then when I send her back to you, as a weapon of your destruction?"

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM KARA!"

His temper exploded like Rao going nova. Clark forgot his plan to keep his distance and flew towards Darkseid like streak of red and blue. Flying faster than the naked eye could register, a tiny voice in the back of his head cautioned his actions, told him the was being reckless but Clark couldn't stop himself. The threat to Kara had hit home.

His parents spent much of his youth ensuring that he was safe. Years of anonymity was made bearable by the friend he'd made. Kara had lost everything, her world and her family. He wanted Kara to have some semblance of family on Earth and that would not be possible if she was hiding from Darkseid's clutches.

Slamming into Darkseid with the force of a locomotive, the tremendous impact against the dark king created a boom that echoed though the air and made the statue above them, shudder. Darkseid was thrown backwards, skidding across the stone floor into one of the legs of his enormous statue and cracking it. Instead of being lain out flat or rendered unconscious as Clark expected, he rolled onto his knees, stunned but still standing. Clark watched in horrified amazement as the Apokoliptan straightened up, ready to fight.

"You'll have to do better than that, Kryptonian. I have fought gods and strong as you are, you are not a god."

Without warning, Darkseid's eyes glowed a split second before a torrent of energy blasted at Clark. What hit Clark was nothing like his heat vision, it was the energy beam from six years ago. He realised he mistakenly believed Darkseid needed a weapon or his hands to discharge it. In fact, he had been poised to avoid any blasts but the eyes had caught him off guard. This time, there was no avoiding it and Clark was barely able to remain in the air as the pain wracked his body. Instead, he made a rather undignified landing onto his hand at the steps of Darkseid's fortress.

"You are no match for me boy," Darkseid crowed as the Kryptonian as he approached.

Clark saw Darkseid closing the distance between them and forced himself to get to his feet. He had to fight. For Kara's sake, he had to beat this monster. He wasn't the boy from six years ago, he was fully trained in the use of his powers. He was Superman. Concentrating, twin beams of crimson energy escaped his eyes and found Darkseid's.

"ARGHHH!"

Darkseid screamed at the pain from Kryptonian heat vision, halting him in his tracks. The titan reeled, clutching his face as Clark took advantage of the pause to regain his balance. Still, Clark knew |he could not linger long. He may not have fought Darkseid before this but how the dark lord reacted to his initial punch was telling. Launching himself at Darkseid, Clark intended to throw another punch when Darkseid turned sharply to him and struck him once again with his own energy beams.

Clark slammed into the stone floor, cracking the paving and creating a fresh crater beneath him. He landed just shy of Darkseid's feet and raised his head just in time to see the man throw a kick. The heavy boot caught him on the jaw and spun him around from the sheer force of it. Clark tasted metallic salt in his mouth. Blood. He was tasting his own blood.

"You dare think you can defeat me? You maybe a Kryptonian but I AM A GOD!"

He prepared to stave in the Kryptonian's skull when suddenly something struck him in the side, causing him to tumble haphazardly across the floor in stunned surprise.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Clarity returned to Clark in the surge of panic that came hearing Kara's voice. He looked up, his jaw aching and turning dark with bruised skin to see his cousin flying towards Darkseid, no comprehension of what she was fighting.

"Kara no!" He shouted, trying to warn her but it was too late.

Darkseid wasted no time unleashing the same power on her that he'd used to beat Clark down. Except its effect on Kara was worse. This was Kara's first test in combat and had developed the skills needed to fight an enemy like Darkseid. She had only just learned to control her powers. Clark watched in horror as she was struck down. Kara hit the floor hard, not moving at all.

Darkseid wasted no time walking towards her, ready to claim his prize. His plans for Kara now within reach and this forced Clark to get to his feet. Using his heat vision, he halted Darkseid in his tracks with another blast of power.

Darkseid countered with a similar blast of his omega beams and uttered a thundering order to his minions. "Parademons attack!"

The swarms held at bay during the fight were now unleashed and Clark didn't need to see them to know they were flying towards the battle.

Halting any attempt by the Kryptonian to reach the girl, Darkseid's omega beams quickly overcame the heat vision, forcing Clark to break off to avoid being struck. The young man's determination to reach the girl made him predictable and Darkseid was a seasoned a warrior who knew how to exploit that weakness.

Clark braced himself to take a hit, knowing it was his only chance at reaching Kara before Darkseid spirited her away out of his reach. As he flew towards Kara, with Darkseid recalibrating his aim, he prepared for the worst until something or rather someone intercepted him. There was an explosion of sound as Darkseid fired energy bolts out of his eyes but instead of being struck, it was instead refracted back at him with a deafening roar and flash of brilliant light.

"You are not the only god in this universe, Lord of Apokolips," Diana said standing between Clark and Darkseid, her bracelets crossed, its gold cackling with energy. "These bracelets were given to me by gods far older than you. You may have caught me unawares now, but it will not happen again."

Being struck by his own power had flung Darkseid backwards and when he got to his feet, he bellowed in outrage, the sound of his voice like thunder from the heavens above. From the fury Clark saw in the god's eyes, it was clear no one had knocked him on his ass for quite some time.

"I will crush your bones into dust, you impudent slag!"

"Clark, get Kara," Diana ignored his insults and ordered Clark instead. "Get to the portal."

This time, it would be she who would hold Darkseid back. Still, she was realistic at how long the bracelets could offer protection. Her brave words aside, this being was a god. She could feel his power and knew that a sustained battle would see her defeated. If not by him then by the hordes of parademons closing in on them.

This was only the first battle with the lord of Apokolips. There would be another fight soon enough.

She was sure of it.

* * *

From the distant burst of loud booms he could hear from the rooftop, Bruce wished he could have gone after Diana when she opted to go retrieve Kara and Clark. However, as determined as he was about going after Clark, she was equally determined that he return to Earth with Dick and the little girl. The children's safety should come first before all else. As much as Bruce hated to admit it, she was right.

"Come on," he ushered the two children towards the open maw of the portal, resolving to come back as soon as he had them squared away safely.

The parademons were swarming towards the tall statue of Darkseid where the battle was undoubtedly taking place. He hoped both Clark and Diana had sense enough not to try and fight the Lord of Apokolips. It was still not lost on Bruce how these people had once managed to strip Clark of his powers. As for Diana, the memory of how battered she had been after her confrontation with Ares was still living in his mind. He never wanted to see her in that condition again.

Dick and Doe were about to enter the portal when Bruce was thrown sideways by a powerful kick that almost sent him toppling off the edge of the room. Only his training kept him from going over completely but the pain wracking his body was hard to compartmentalise in his weakened condition. He could feel fresh gushes of blood from his lacerated flesh and sharp pain in his chest intensified.

"You didn't think I was finished with you yet, did you dark knight?" Mad Harriet sneered at him from where she squatted, like a frog about to spring.

"Well I am," Bruce retorted, looking over her shoulder at the two children, staring at the scene in fear, their small hands gripping each other's tight. Flipping upright, Bruce landed on his feet and went for a batarang, throwing it as she leapt at him. Her quick movement made it a miss but offered enough of a distraction to allow him to land a powerful kick to the sternum that sent her to the ground on her rear.

She uttered angry screech, like the mad banshee she was and jumped to her feet, brandishing her claws, charged with energy. She sprung again, this time like whirling dervish of limbs, moving so fast that it was hard to see when one swipe began and another ended. It was this tactic that left him in his present state of injury and Bruce took care to avoid another strike.

"Come on Bat Man. I thought we were going to dance."

"You're not my type," Bruce sidestepped her latest swipe and slammed and elbow on the back of her skull, causing her to stumble forward. She recovered quickly, dropping to her haunches and kicking out her leg, catching his ankle as he pulled away. It was only a tap but more than enough to make him trip. Bruce landed on the ground and started to turn when he felt lash at his back, energy following her nails across flesh.

He convulsed, the pain in his chest intensifying until he thought he could hear his heart pounding in his chest from the protest.

"Batman get up!"

That voice was Dick's! Bruce looked over his shoulder sharply and he saw the young boy leaping onto Harriet's back, his hands covering her eyes. Clinging to her like some wild animal, Dick was trying to give him time to recover. Bruce didn't waste it and got to his feet, ignoring the pain in his determination to reach Dick before Harriet did him serious harm.

"You little insect!" She snatched Dick from her back and flung him across the floor.

Dick who was a trained acrobat knew how to fall and rolled across the roof gracefully, even as Harriet closed in on him.

She never reached him. Instead, she was gripped by the ankle and swung through the air like a rag doll. Bruce watched in astonishment as Harriet flew over the building, spinning like a human Catherine wheel before crashing into another building some distance away. Standing where she had been was Doe, looking at him meekly.

"I didn't want her to hurt you."

"That was so awesome!" Dick exclaimed hurrying over to her. "You're strong!"

"Uh huh," she nodded. "That's why they made me wear those things on my hands."

Bruce finally reached the two children, proud of both for how they'd handled themselves. "We'll talk about this later," he rasped, "We've got to go now."

The portal was still open and waiting impatiently for them. As he said words, he looked over his shoulder and saw a red blue streak flying towards them. Was it Clark or Kara? And where was Diana? He saw no sign of the Amazon princess in the sky behind the approaching Kryptonian.

Kryptonians, he realised when he saw that it was Clark, carrying Kara in his arms.

"GO! GO!" Clark shouted , waving Bruce forward with one arm.

"Where's Diana?"

No sooner than he made the demand, he heard another explosion of sound and light and saw Diana retreating towards them. Pursuing her from the bow of a hover vehicle of some kind was Darkseid. The dark god of Apokolips was blasting away at Diana with beams erupting from his eyes and Bruce recognised the energy form as the one they'd encountered six years ago. While she appeared to be fending him off, he could see her starting to struggle.

She would not be able to keep Darkseid at bay indefinitely.

Bruce scooped up both Dick and Doe in his arms, ignoring his injuries because he cared only for getting them through safely. His last glimpse of Apokolips had Diana breaking lowering her bracelets to make a beeline for the portal, zigzagging through the air to avoid being struck by Darkseid's terrible power.

Stepping through the portal, Apokolips vanished behind him. There was a blinding spectrum of rainbow coloured light followed by the ear splitting boom that preceded their arrival at a new destination. In a matter of seconds, they had left Apokolips behind and were now standing on the grounds of the Wayne Estate. Even though there was every chance Darkseid and his servants might follow them back, at least the location of the manor was somewhat remote and would keep bystanders from getting hurt.

The air was filled with the stench of burnt grass as the portal's energy burned the natural terrain and illuminated the woods surrounding it. Bruce stepped through, still holding Dick and Doe in his arms and quickly turned around to see Clark emerging a second later, with a still unconscious Kara in his arms. Like Bruce, his gaze immediately turned towards the wormhole, waiting apprehensively for Diana and fully prepared to go back if she didn't appear.

"SHUT THE PORTAL!"

Diana's voice followed her abrupt exit through the portal. Bruce's reacted instantly, acting the mother box to collapse the passage between the two worlds. Diana's arrival was followed by bolts of energy, some from Darkseid, and some from parademon weapons. One stray blast hit a tree, igniting it like a candle. It light the darkness with amber as Bruce took cover, shielding the children in his charge even if it was likely one of them didn't need it.

The portal continued to shimmer and cackle with frantic energy as it began to contract and collapse. In a final act of defiance, it spat out a few impotent strands of energy before winking out of existence completely. Once it was gone, only the fire behind them provided any illumination.

Bruce made his way to Diana who appeared exhausted. Through the amber light, he saw the wounds on her skin, the mild burns left behind by weapon's fire. Throughout all this, Diana had come to his and Clark's aid without a moment's thought because she loved them both and Bruce felt remarkably privileged to have her heart.

"Are you alright?" He touched her cheek in concern.

Diana leaned into his gauntleted palm, "I will live. You on the other hand, are not."

"I'll live," he offered her a little smile and leaned forward to give her a kiss on the lips. "Thank you Diana, we wouldn't have done this without you."

"I wouldn't have expected you to," she returned. "You two cannot stay out of trouble unless I am there to rescue you."

Bruce couldn't argue with that.

"Is Kara going to be okay…Mr Superman?" Dick went over to the Kryptonian who was leaning over his cousin, who appeared to be coming out of it. Despite the situation, Dick was struggling not to completely lose his mind over the fact that he was standing next to SUPERMAN.

"I think so," Clark looked at the boy, finding a smile at being addressed as Mr Superman. "She's just needs a moment."

He could hear the increased rate of Kara's heartbeat and even as he said those words, she was starting to regain consciousness.

"Will they follow us?" Doe asked, staring at where the portal had been.

The three heroes exchanged glances and it was Bruce who answered. "Possibly, but I think not right now. The mother box can take us anywhere on Earth and I don't think they'd risk coming to the manor again unless they're sure we're there."

"But they will be coming," Clark said softly.

"Yes," Bruce was not blind to that. "Maybe not today or tomorrow, but they'll be coming."

'And we will be ready for them," Diana said firmly, looking not at just Clark and Bruce but also at Kara, Dick and even the little girl named Doe. "All of us."

 


	19. Beginings

**A MONTH LATER**

Returning to the Luthor Mansion after what had taken place there wasn't easy for Lex.

If nothing else, he'd learned just how vulnerable his family was to the whims of modern gods masquerading as superheroes and aliens. The memory of how helpless he'd been while his daughter was threatened was branded into his mind. If not for Superman, and the idea of being saved by another alien galled him, he would have lost his family and possibly his life.

Still, a month later and there was no further sign of the attackers who had invaded his home in the dead of night and threatened his family. The alien ship he'd recovered remained in his Section 33.1 facility, undergoing all manner of tests to unlock its secrets. Lex knew now, those alien attackers had been after that ship because it held a passenger. Where that passenger was now, was a mystery he intended to solve.

Seated at his desk, he reviewed the most recent reports regarding the ship and frowned at the difficulty for any kind of analysis due to the dense nature of its atomic structure. Not even lasers seemed capable of penetrating its shell. There were gaps in his memory which Lana revealed was the work of the alien impersonating his father. She explained its origin, its desire to release an evil onto the world that required his company to do it.

It made Lex all the more determined to unlock the secrets of the ship, to protect his family if not the world from other alien creatures that might choose to attack them.

"Lex," Lana poked her head through the doorway, making him lower the table he'd been reviewing onto the desk. "Laura's bed time is in thirty minutes, she wants her daddy to read her a story."

Despite his reading material and the disappointment it revealed, that simple request brought a smile to Lex's face. Five years in prison had taught him how precious such moments were and he'd sworn then, he'd never waste any of it. "I'll finish up here and join you shortly."

"Good," Lana smiled. "Hey I'm going to watch a movie after, join me?"

"Will there be popcorn?"

Lana gave him a look as if he were mad to even suggest that the contrary. "Of course! What's a movie without popcorn?"

"Then consider it a date," Lex flashed Lana a warm smile, once again swept away by the unadulterated joy at knowing this was his life.

Lana blew him a kiss and went on her way, leaving Lex with the sobering realisation that it was Lana who kept him in the light, who kept him from indulging the darker parts of his psyche. She reminded him that power was only valuable if it allowed you to protect the people you loved. He glanced at the report once again and told himself the research would continue, they would unlock the secrets of the ship eventually.

They had to.

Suddenly, the French doors to the garden blew open and appearing in front of his desk, in a blink of an eye was a visitor Lex never expected to have. Falling back into his chair, his lips somewhat parted in surprise, Lex found himself gaping at Superman. He'd seen the man briefly that night when the three had come to his house and despite himself, felt a begrudging gratitude to the man for saving Laura.

Now Superman stood before him, his cape billowing slightly from the night's breeze stealing in through the open doors. He really did look like a god among men, Lex thought silently and hated himself for the thought.

"This is unexpected," Lex finally found his voice.

"For both of us," Superman replied. "I hope your family has recovered from the attack."

"For most part," Lex replied, thinking on the nightmares Laura had experienced a few days after the ordeal. Never had Lex wanted to rip anything apart with his bare hands as he had wanted to do to the Swan for harming his child. "Thank you for what you did, you saved my little girl and there are no words to describe how grateful I am for that."

Superman seemed to stare at him, taking in his apology as if the words were sinking into his invulnerable skin like a sponge.

"I know you are testing the ship you found in Miller's Field."

Lex stiffened and glance instinctively at the table in front of him. "That's classified."

"I don't care if it is or not," Superman returned. "I'm guessing you need access to its systems and it locked you out. Am I right?"

Lex maintained his poker face, "if it were, then it would be little danger to anyone would it? Still if I were in possession of such a ship, my immediate question would be, where is its pilot?" He stared at Superman in accusation.

"The pilot doesn't matter," Superman returned automatically, brandishing a poker face just as impenetrable. "What does matter, is in exchange for you abandoning any search for one, I am willing to help you unlock that ship. "

Lex blinked in surprise. "Why?"

Superman drew in his breathe, the S-shield on his chest, heaving in response. "You need it to get the world ready. The three people who came to your house that night, they were just servants. Their master will be on his way in due course."

"Who is he?" Lex found this whole thing surreal. Was Superman really here asking for  _his_  help?

"His name is Darkseid and if I'm not making myself clear on how dangerous he is, I am going to tell you now, I can't take him alone. This world is going to have to stand together because when he comes, he'll bring an army and if we can't fight him, we lose the planet. Do you understand?"

Lex thought of the people from the black ship, Milton Fine and the destruction caused by powerful aliens coming to Earth. The feeling of helplessness returned, settling over his chest like cement. "I understand."

"I am putting my faith in you Mr. Luthor, I am trusting that you care about this world and the people on it, more than ambition and power. I hope I am right in thinking you're a good man or you trying to be."

Lex didn't know what to say. There was something about the way Superman said that words that felt familiar, even comforting but Lex couldn't explain why.

"If what you say is true, if this Darkseid is coming, then I'll do whatever I can to protect my family and this world. I give you my word on that."

Superman nodded, an expression on his face that was still trapped in that limbo between certainty and scepticism. "I'll be in touch."

* * *

It was a month since their return from Apokolips. Upon returning home, Clark had allowed Kara to be taken to Themyscira, out of fear that Darkseid might come for her. During that time, each member of the heroic trinity, held their breath in anticipation of an attack from the master of Apokolips, but no such attack came.

Grace Goode, Darkseid's agent on Earth had vanished and it seemed for now Apokolips interest in Earth and Kryptonians was in abeyance. Still, they needed to be ready. Kara's time in Themyscira was spent training in how to use her powers more effectively, so that she could properly defend herself if they came for her. Unlike Clark whose powers bloomed over time, Kara was in possession of all Kryptonian abilities and with Diana's tutelage, she became quite the formidable combatant by the time they returned to the farm.

The absence of a return visit from Apokolips led Bruce to the deduction that Darkseid was taking his time, now that their advantage was gone. Any incursion from his minions now lacked the element of surprise, especially since the mother box in Bruce's possession could instantly warn them of a wormhole opening anywhere on Earth.

During their interrogation of Grace Good with Diana's lasso of truth, they learnt that he had been in contact with Milton Fine or rather the Brainiac program, while it was masquerading as Lionel Luthor. In exchange from freeing Zod from the Phantom Zone, Fine would give him Kara to continue his experimentation on the anti-life equation and aid any invasion plans of Earth.

Apokolips had already annexed dozens of civilisations across the stars, claiming them under its dark banner. Earth, with its resources and dense population was perfect for colonisation even without the attractive incentive of Kryptonian DNA. It was no longer a matter of if Darkseid invaded, it was a question of when.

In learning about Fine's alliance with Darkseid, Clark finally learned the secret the construct had taken to its grave when Clark destroyed its program. Fine knew about Kara's ship buried in Reeve Dam for all those years. It explained why the construct needed to impersonate Lionel Luthor and frame Lex for Chloe's murder. While in possession of LuthorCorp, Fine could be assured of free access to Kara's ship. Undoubtedly, he would have used her genetic code to open the portal to the Phantom Zone.

Unfortunately what Fine did not anticipate was the fact the ship needed Kryptonian DNA to activate and even worse yet, his murder of Chloe would drive Clark to complete his training, leading to a five year absence.

"I don't know if it was wise bringing Lex into this," Bruce said from atop the roof opposite the Sin Kitty Club where he was continuing his surveillance of Tony Zucco.

"Despite his actions, Lex has always wanted to protect the planet from alien threats, he just didn't know which ones," Clark explained, needing to talk to someone after his meeting with Lex. The whole thing had been surreal for him, reminding him of his early relationship with Lex before things went wrong because of Lana. "It didn't help that he was taken over by Zod, attacked by Kryptonians and manipulated by Fine. Its no wonder he became convinced he had to get the world ready for an invasion."

"And this is different how?" Bruce stared at him. Clark's belief in people could border on delusional which worried Bruce who was more pragmatic. Then again, it was also a quality Bruce admired at the same time.

"I gave up on him a long time ago. He asked me not too but I did because of my feelings for Lana. I got so jealous at them being together, I shut him out at a time he needed my friendship the most. It will never be like that again, but maybe this time, if I help him instead of lie to him, it can be different. I have to try. I owe him that."

Bruce said nothing but Clark was right, Lex had resources. While Wayne Tech could do much, Bruce walked a fine line with how much he could involve his company, without risking his identity. Lex had no secret identity to protect and needed to explain nothing if his company started working with alien technology.

"Alright. It's your call and I trust you."

"Thank you." Clark joined him at the ledge and stared at the club Bruce was watching so intently.

"He's in there? The guy who killed Dick's parents?"

"Yes. He works for a mob boss named Sal Maroni. Tonight, I'm going to pay Mr. Maroni a visit and let him know that unless he surrenders Zucco to the cops, I'm going to devote all my time to ensuring every one of his illegal operations in Gotham is shut down. He won't see a dime in profits while Zucco's on the payroll."

"I hate to be on your shit list," Clark did not envy either Zucco or Maroni one bit.

"Don't swear, you sound like a nun trying to be a hooker."

Clark threw Bruce a gesture instead.

The Batman smirked, "That's better."

* * *

It was fall in Kansas when Martha finally returned to the yellow house on the Kent Farm.

The Amazons had been more than hospitable during her stay and being in their world was an experience Martha would cherish forever. Being the wife of a farmer, Martha found much kinship with the women of Themyscira. They shared a love and respect for the land, for the fruits of hard work and the belief that compassion and kindness were never outdated forms.

The friendship she formed with Queen Hippolyta was also something she wanted to maintain, though how Martha had no idea with the distance between them being so vast. They were two strong women who raised extraordinary children, mothers who still worried for them, no matter how powerful they had become. By the time she left, promises were made to keep in touch through Diana and possibly future visits.

The idea of a queen visiting the Kent Farm made Martha smile.

Still it was good to come home to the farm even if it always felt emptier without Jonathan. With her career as a senator behind her and Clark now living in the city with Lois, Martha had expected a quieter life. Yet, she now found herself in charge of a super-powered teenage girl who was finding her feet living on a new planet.

"Mr Pennyworth," Martha glanced at the butler who was presently setting the dining table as she reached the last leg in her preparation of Sunday dinner. "You don't have to do that. You're a guest."

"I'm afraid it's a force of habit Mrs. Kent," Alfred glanced at the woman as he continued what he was doing. "I don't think I know how to be a guest. Besides, this is certainly more palatable than some of the other duties I perform around Wayne Manor."

"I can imagine," Martha laughed, aware that aside from being the family butler, he also aided Batman's war on crime in Gotham. "Still, I'm glad you decided to join us. It's been awhile since I've had a full house for dinner and let's face it, after everything we've been through together, we're family."

The comment brought a smile to Alfred's face and he thought how ironic that Clark Kent's mother should also be named Martha. It made her comment about being family all the more poignant. Glancing out the window, he saw Kara driving the tractor across one of the paddocks, with Dick and Doe taking the ride beside her. All three were laughing and the sound was music to his ears.

Even if this wasn't at the manor, Alfred would take it. After the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, it was a sound he never thought he'd hear again.

"Miss Kara seems to be adapting to life on the farm quite well."

"I think so," Martha stood up from the oven, the roast she'd made filled the house with tantalising aromas. "She knows she's not alone and that helps."

"Well she certainly does have an extended family. Although I do believe Master Dick has something of a crush. He was most excited to see her and Miss Doe of course. It was good of Diana to bring the little girl back from the island for a visit."

"Yes, she is a sweet little thing," Martha added as she put the roast on the bench and glimpsed the child, with her blue dungarees and ponytails, giggling excitedly next to Kara.

It was a far cry from the traumatised little girl she'd been when she first arrived in Themyscira during Martha's stay. She'd been a prisoner in Apokolips longer than anyone so young had a right to be and it had taken all of Queen Hippolyta's love and patience to draw her out of her shell.

"That smells delicious Mrs. Kent," Alfred said taking in the aroma and finding it more satisfying that for once, he wasn't doing the cooking.

"Thank you," Martha said appreciatively, aware that aside from his numerous talents, Alfred was also a master chef. "Do you mind calling everyone in for dinner? Believe it or not, even with super hearing, I still have to call Clark in for dinner."

Alfred sighed, "At least he  _comes_  to dinner."

* * *

"Well I called Ollie," Lois declared, looking up from Clark's telescope in the loft over the barn.

"You told him what's happening?" He asked, making a face at a freshly mounted poster on his wall. Taylor Swift? What the hell was Taylor Swift doing on his wall? Then it occurred to him this loft was no longer his fortress of solitude. When he wasn't here, it was Kara's.

"Yep," she lowered herself onto the chair next to the telescope, sitting on it facing the back. "He said he'll give you a call so you work out the details on where to meet up. It will need to be somewhere central if you want everyone to show."

"Everyone?" Diana asked puzzled. Dressed for the Kansas fall, she was comfortably situated on the sofa, leaning into Bruce's shoulder while holding the arm draped around her shoulder.

"Yeah," Clark answered. "Even before I went away to train, Oliver was gathering people like us together, people with powers. Ollie believed we needed to stand together."

"He's right. I've kept an eye on what he was doing even though we've never met."

The Green Arrow and his group of heroes had been travelling the globe, ignoring international treaties to reach the people who needed help. Even though the governments whose sovereignty they violated were vocal, it was nowhere as loud as the applause for the good they did. If it was not for his responsibilities in Gotham, Bruce might have considered lending them a hand on occasion.

"There's Arthur, Bart, Vic, Dinah, J'onn and Zee, just to name a few." Clark explained to Diana who had yet to meet any other hero beside himself and Bruce . "They're friends and they'll come if we ask."

"You guys could be the new Justice Society," Lois suggested.

"I think we should meet first before deciding to start a club. I don't know when Darkseid's coming but we need to be ready," Bruce made a face, utterly hating the idea of a name. Then again, Lois named things so badly, she might end up calling them the Superfriends or something.

"We will be," Clark said confidently and spied Alfred leaving the house. "Oh looks like dinner's ready. Better get Kara off the tractor."

He'd been happy to show her how to drive the vehicle, and the girl who could fly, found it immensely satisfying that she was being allowed to handle any kind of vehicle. It must be a teenage thing, he told himself.

"Is it safe for her to be driving?" Bruce asked.

"She'll fly off that thing long before she crashes," Lois teased. "Besides, they're having fun."

"Congratulation by the way," Clark declared as they got to their feet, ready to go down for dinner. "I hear the court awarded you with permanent custody of Dick."

"Well he's my ward," Bruce was unable to keep the smile off his face at the announcement. "But it is good that he'll be able to stay with me and Alfred permanently."

"I think it's wonderful," Diana said leaning over and kissing Bruce on the cheek. "He adores you, you know."

"And yet he sleep in Superman pyjamas."

"So does Lois," Clark chimed in, aware he's going to catch hell for that revelation.

"HEY!" Lois nudged him in the ribs as they descended the steps to the floor of the barn. "How is Doe finding Themyscira?" She asked Diana.

"Oh," Diana rolled her eyes. "My mother is utterly smitten of course and so are all my Amazon sisters. They love the idea of having another child to teach and spoil. It has been very good for Doe to, she's improved much since her arrival from Apokolips."

"Any idea where she came from?"

"We're still unable to determine her origins and it appears her memories before Apokolips were intentionally suppressed. There is no doubt she is human even if her abilities are not. Aside from her strength, she is able to fly, although not as well as Kara but her speed is considerable."

"I wonder how she came to be Apokolips, she's just a baby." Lois mused as they saw Alfred waving the children towards the house.

"We may never know but we are convinced her powers might originate from our older gods. Menalippe, our priestess, senses she could be a child of the titans, gods that predate the Olympians.

"Give it time," Bruce suggested. "She's very young and she's had it tough. Maybe a little normal is what she needs to get it all back again."

 _As normal as it can be living on an island with Amazons_ , Clark thought to himself.

* * *

"Dinner is served," Alfred announced as he met them in front of the house with Kara, Dick and Doe.

"That was so much Mr. Kent!" Dick exclaimed, glancing back at the tractor. "Did you really drive it when you were ten?"

"Yeah, my dad taught me," Clark said feeling a spread of warmth across his chest at the memory. "Once I grew tall enough to reach the pedals that is. When you get taller, I'll be happy to teach you."

Then with a smirk, he added, "Of course Bruce might want to teach you how to drive the Bat mobile first."

"Oh no fair!" Kara burst out, "if Dick gets to learn how to drive the Batmobile I want to as well and hey I can  _already_  reach the pedals!"

Bruce's expression at the thought of a teenage girl getting behind the wheel of his precious car was priceless. It was worth the menacing glare he received from Bruce as both Lois and Diana sniggered quietly.

As always, Alfred came to the rescue. "Perhaps we shall talk about it after dinner."

"Yes definitely  _after_  dinner," Bruce returned hoping not to have the conversation at all.

Diana picked up Doe. "Did you have a nice time, Little Sister?"

The way her mother had taken to this child, Diana did not think the title was incorrect even if philosophically, all women were her sisters.

"We had the bestest time," she nodded, her small arms wrapping around Diana's neck, while her twin pony tails bounced up and down on either side of her head. "We saw cows and there was a boy on a horse. He talked to Kara."

"A boy?"

Kara's cheeks turned red. "Yeah Adam Foster, he's says he's lives in the farm across from ours."

Clark did a quick mental calculation and blinked. "That used to be the Lang place."

Lois nearly choked on her spit and couldn't resist asking, "Did you tell him you were going to be starting at Smallville High next week?"

"Uh huh. He said he'd show me around…apparently he's a quarterback or something?"

"Is he cute?" Diana asked as the three women disappeared into the house.

"Oh he is!" Kara giggled, " He's got the cutest dimples…"

"Hear that Clark?" Bruce leaned in for a dig, " _dimples_."

Clark was still stuck on  _boy_  and  _quarterback_  when he heard dimples. Dimples? There were dimples now?

As they shuffled into the house, Bruce was grinning. And they said he didn't know how to have fun.

**THE END**

 


End file.
